Passage of an Advocate
It is with some sadness that I note the death of Christopher Reeve. In the decade since his injury, he became one of the most determined and influential advocates for stem cell and regenerative medicine research - an inspiration for the rest of us on many counts. I expect that the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation will continue much of his work in this area.
We pay too little attention to the deaths that occur every day, and too much attention to the deaths of celebrities. Stop and think for a moment about the tens of thousands of other people who will die today because we do not yet have working regenerative medicine, or the tens of thousands more who could be saved if we could intervene in the aging process. Each is just as much a loss of life and potential.
We must keep working towards better medicine, true regeneration, and a cure for aging.