A Man on a Mission
A
Man on a Mission for Adult Stem Cell Treatment 8/1/2007
By
Erin Leonhardt
Adrian Rosales has completed a triathlon that stretched over 600 miles and 16 days. Most would agree that this is quite an accomplishment. However, the 46-year-old U.S. military veteran didn't do it for personal gain, he did it to publicly promote the promising results of adult stem cell treatment - and he did it after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Rosales was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2003, and with the permission of his physician, he decided to embark on an incredible journey to promote the important advances in adult stem cell research (ASCR) and the option of frozen embryo adoption. The event, known as Operation In God We Trust, began on June 25, 2007, in Folsom, California, and included several pre-planned press conferences along the route.1
Mr. Rosales, who trained for over a year, finished his race on July 10, 2007, in La Jolla, California, successfully completing 12.26 miles of swimming, 537.02 miles of biking and 51.38 miles of running in 16 days.2
Rosales is a member of the American Veterans Christian Alliance (AVCA), an inter-denominational alliance of Christian-based military veteran groups, ministries and organizations. According to the AVCA website, the alliance shares a common goal of evangelization, acts of charity and active involvement in the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness through the exercising of our freedoms of religion, speech and assembly in both a private and public manner. Sponsored by AVCA, Operation In God We Trust seeks to:
The promise seen in adult stem cells is greatly needed in a scientific community willing to go to nearly any lengths for medical advancement. Ethically-derived adult stem cells have been saving lives for many years. Over 400,000 people and over 70 diseases have been treated by this lifesaving research.4
By contrast, the use of the human embryo as a source of stem cells has terrible ramifications, because the process of removing stem cells destroys the embryo. While scientists try to justify their research with the notion that embryos are not yet human life, many ethicists dismiss this idea for what it clearly is: a lie.5
Rosales and AVCA created Operation In God We Trust in order to publicly proclaim the Biblical truth regarding precious unborn life. Rosales served as a non-commissioned officer from 1986 to 1992 as a flight medic crewmember with the 146th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, based at the Channel Islands Air National Guard Base, in Point Mugu, California. He eventually achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant and earned several awards and medals before being honorably discharged in 1992. This decorated veteran was cheered on by two of his five sons, a crew of retired U.S. Navy veterans and various members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes based out of Burnsville, Minnesota. AVCA continues to promote the value of human life by working with the Do No Harm Coalition of Americans for Research Ethics and the Nightlight Adoptions Snowflakes Program.
To find out more about American Veterans Christian Alliance, visit www.avca-usa.org.
Erin Leonhardt is an intern with Concerned Women for America's Ronald Reagan Memorial Internship Program.
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