Stem Cell Research

Stem Cell Research is a very emotive subject and for many it falls down to the ethics of the research but I want to look at the idea of this type of research from someone living with a disability namely ME!

Firstly, we have to establish what Stem Cell Research actually is;

“Stem cells are thought to hold huge potential for treating a wide range of disease and disability. Scientists around the world are working on techniques to refine stem cell therapy. Theoretically, it should be possible to use stem cells to generate healthy tissue to replace that either damaged by trauma, or compromised by disease.

Among the conditions which scientists believe may eventually be treated by stem cell therapy are Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, burns and spinal cord damage”.(Source)

Secondly, we have to establish a view point. Whilst I appreciate the advantages of this research for people who wish to benefit from this type of change, for me personally, I am “against” the idea. But why?

Surely this type of research may find a treatment to my condition?

Stem Cell Research falls very definitely into that of the Medical Model of Disability. The perception is disabled people experience a medical condition and medicine is for treating people who experience illness. As a disabled person, I am perceived as being ill and must be treated. The Medical Model of Disability creates the perception of ‘normalcy” but why should we all be the same?

What it fails to consider is that my disability is me. Without it I would not be who I am or why I am. My disability has developed my personality and the growth of me as an individual. I am part of a community and part of a culture. Stem Cell Research may well be able to “cure” me but I don’t want to be “cured” and I do not want to see the eradication of the disability community.

Instead of Stem Cell Research, we should be trying to establish the Social Model of Disability and Accessibility far more widely in our society. The support of equal rights for all disabled people is a far more worthy direction to take than Stem Cell Research.

I find myself unable to support Stem Cell Research for the very reason that my disability is ME. Take away my disability and you take away the very essence of who I am.

What is the "Social Model of Disability"?

I believe strongly in the Social Model of Disability and fully embrace its more modern approach. As I go about my job, I am frequently asked "What is the Social Model of Disability?" So here goes - a quick definition......

There are various ways of looking at disability.

The traditional and most commonly used method is the Medical Model of Disability. This puts the focus on the individual disabled person and because of what is “wrong” with them and the main point of why services need to change i.e. services need to change to fit with the individual disabled person.

Contrary to this is a more forward thinking approach which is being used more widely and this is the Social Model of Disability. This moves the focus away from the individual disabled person to the barriers that the disabled person faces and it is these barriers which disables them. They do have an impairment or condition but this is private and personal to the individual and should not be the subject of gossip or chit-chat. The barriers that face a disabled person can be wide ranging e.g. physical, attitudual, information and communication, organisational and environmental to name but a few. The Social Model of Disability encourages inclusion of disabled people within all mainstream activities and most importantly treats disabled people on the same level as everyone else.