Madam - As the debate on stem cell research appears sporadically in the various arenas of the media, I feel the need to speak out on this topic.
Our family was plunged suddenly into the deep areas of illness, incurable illness, 12 months ago when our two- year-old son contracted meningitis.
He has been left paralysed from the neck down and permanently on a ventilator due to damage in the stem area of his brain.
Prior to this, stem cells meant very little to me, if anything, they were some far-fetched plaything for scientists in a laboratory and I neither had a positive nor negative view on them.
Since May 2004 my interest in this area of medical research has certainly been awakened and my view on it very positive.
As the parent of a child whose only hope of treatment lies in the area of stem cell therapy, I feel very strongly about defending the work that these scientists do.
It is work that needs to be supported so that the research can continue, to one day, hopefully, bring treatments to patients who have no other hope.
Many families face this darkness when they face illnesses that have no form of treatments, or cures, and their only hope lies in stem cell therapy.
The argument for stem cell research lies in the reality of the day to day lives of people facing these illnesses.
It is so heartening for me, as a parent, to hear knowledgeable people speaking out for stem cell research, defending it as against others who may condemning it with their one-sided, blinkered views.
These people see things only in their theories and are not experiencing the reality of living with a serious untreatable illness.
Often the voices of the sufferers go unheard.
That is why I feel the need to speak out.
A lot of negativity surrounds this area of medical research, negativity that lies in fear, fear of the unknown.
It is imperative that the public be informed of what is going on in this area of research; knowledge should be freely displayed to dispel any fears.
Of course, I agree that laws should be passed to govern those working in this area, but these laws should be sensibly debated and should never be prohibitive so as to stop, or even slow down any important medical breakthroughs.
I am fully aware that stem cell research is in its infancy but am afraid that this is where it will stay if prohibitive laws are passed on the say so of people with moralistic theories and this will be tantamount to taking away what little hope those people with untreatable illnesses have. - Yours, etc,
CATHY McGRATH, Kilmurry, Gorey, Co Wexford.