Successful adult stem-cell procedure drives man to speak out on issue

Published: 2004-08-03

SAGINAW, Mich. (CNS) -- Rob Hirschman, 41, has a lot on his mind that he wants to share with others and he's not sure how long he might have to do that. Hirschman, a Catholic, believes that an experimental medical procedure using adult stem cells that he received two years ago for a life-threatening blood disorder was successful because God wanted him around to stir up dialogue on "life issues." He said, "When you have been to the edge, you know " about life issues. Because his current remission is directly linked to the use of adult stem cells, he argues that he merits being heard. "All the breakthroughs so far have been with adult stem cells," he told The Catholic Weekly, newspaper of the Saginaw Diocese. Four years ago Hirschman's doctors discovered he had Evan's syndrome, a relatively rare disorder in which his blood platelets were being destroyed by antibodies produced by his immune system.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .