Dear Editor:
Following is a copy of a letter sent to Jersey City Mayor Cunningham and Harvey Smith:
Last month I visited Lilly, a member of my church who has been stricken with sickle cell anemia. When I asked her how she felt, she turned to me and said, “Willie, I am in so much pain.”
Few diseases strike the African-American community like sickle cell anemia. This disease is an inherited blood disorder that is characterized by constant anemia and chronic pain. And it is that pain which is causing Lilly to suffer and that disease which ultimately claimed the life of my niece, who left behind a four-month old child.
Because the disease can go unchecked for years, many of our family members, friends and neighbors don’t know they have sickle cell anemia until it is too late. If you have parents who suffered from this disorder, ask about testing for sickle cell during your next visit to the doctor. For prospective parents, a simple generic test will tell you if you carry the genes that raise the likelihood your child will get sickle cell anemia.
The rest of us can help in a more immediate way. You may know that Governor McGreevey has said that he will sign a bill into law legalizing embryonic stem cell research in New Jersey. This research would open great doors of hope and opportunity for those of us who may have lost a loved one to sickle cell or other ailments like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes or paralysis. A bill to legalize such research was passed by the State Senate in December, and Assembly Speaker Albio Sires has expressed his support for the Assembly version of the bill (A2840) which is co-sponsored by Jersey City’s own Joan Quigley.
What we have to do as concerned citizens is to contact our Assembly representatives and let them know that we want New Jersey to provide hope for thousands of residents through this bill. You and the Municipal Council can let Jersey City know that you stand for hope by also expressing your support for A2840.
Willie Flood
Mt. Olive Baptist Church Clerk
Former Councilwoman-at-Large
Member, Jersey City Board of Education
Board Member, Greenville Hospital