August 1, 2005
Stem Cells May Be Her Only Hope
For Ex-Racecar Driver's Daughter, Battle Is Personal
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Play CBS Video Video Teen's Stem Cell Battle Cody Unser was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that prevents her from walking. Hattie Kauffman reports that Unser believes her future depends on embryonic stem cell research.
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Cody Unser, on The Early Show Monday (CBS/The Early Show)
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Interactive Stem Cell Research Follow the debate, and learn how and why the cells are harvested.
"That was really tough for me," Cody says. "He inspired everyone to, you know, continue with this. …There's no way that we're gonna let him down."
She wears a Superman pendant, and writes positive messages all over her walls, such as, "You have to stand up for something, or fall for anything."
When Cody became paralyzed six years ago, she set one goal that has remained unfulfilled.
"That was my first, initial dream was to be able to walk, dancing at my senior prom."
"It's weird moments, like the prom," cried Shelley.
Through her tears, Shelley continued, "She had a blast. They looked great. She'll make the best of anything. But, I cry because I know that it hurts her, and she doesn't let anybody know."
"Sometimes, I do get depressed," Cody says in response to a Kauffman query, "but it's my friends and my family that really pull me out of it."
To those who say it would be morally wrong to conduct stem cell research, Cody has an answer.
"I've heard a lot of morals and ethics with this whole issue. And my thing is that, it would be morally wrong to deny hope. It'd be morally wrong to say, 'No, you have to be like this for the rest of your life.' "
As the debate plays out, Cody is confident she'll someday leave her wheels behind, and walk again: "There's just so much out there right now that, you know, the world has so much to offer, and I can't wait to go out and grab it and get to experience everything and live life to the fullest."
Mr. Bush has said he would veto any bill overturning his restrictions on stem cell research, Kauffman says.
According to Kerr, human clinical trials for stem cell-based treatments of some paralysis are three to five years away.
But, says Kauffman, Kerr adds that doctors could have begun clinical trials by now if there had never been restrictions on federal funding of stem cell research.
In the second part of "Two Faces of Hope" on Tuesday, The Early Show will introduce viewers to a couple who opposes stem cell research and chose instead to donate their embryo to another couple who wanted a baby.
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