Pro-lifers take part in Ice Bucket Challenge to support unborn babies

After discovering that the ALS Association which has raised millions in their popular Ice Bucket challenge, gives money to an organization which uses stem cells that originated from electively aborted fetuses, pro-lifers have created their version of the Ice Bucket challenge to save unborn babies:

A statement on the ALS Consortium website states, “Previous research has shown that on autopsy, ALS patients are found to have increased levels of the amino acid glutamate accumulated in the brain and spinal cord. This increase is thought to be caused by a decrease in the glutamate transporter which normally “cleans up” glutamate from the cells. Human spinal cord-derived neural stem cells (HSSC) are known to express amino acid transporters and it is hoped that this action will reduce the toxicity of accumulated glutamate and benefit ALS patients. A second hypothesized benefit of HSSC is their ability to secrete neurotrophic support factors. Neurotrophic factors support the health of nerves.

These stem cells have been engineered from the spinal cord of a single fetus electively aborted after eight weeks of gestation. The tissue was obtained with the mother’s consent. The cells are transplanted into the ALS subject’s spinal cord after laminectomy, an operation that removes bone surrounding the spine. After the spinal cord is exposed, a device manufactured for this purpose will be mounted onto the subject and will hold a syringe filled with the cells. The syringe will have a needle attached and the needle will enter the spinal cord at 5-10 locations injecting the cells. The device will minimize trauma to the spinal cord caused by the needle by making the punctures precise and steady, and by injecting the material at a slow and steady speed.”

According to an article in Patheos ALSA.org states:

“Adult stem cell research is important and should be done alongside embryonic stem cell research as both will provide valuable insights. Only through exploration of all types of stem cell research will scientists find the most efficient and effective ways to treat diseases.”

Carrie Munk, a representative for the ALS Association, confirmed to TheBlaze that the organization is currently funding one study that involves embryonic stem cells. In a subsequent statement, the organization said that it is committed to “leaving no stone unturned in the quest to discover effective treatments and a cure for Lou Gehrig’s Disease.”

Pro-lifers object to the use of aborted children and are now posting videos which expose the ALS connection to abortion as well as raising support for pro-life causes:

In this video, a Catholic Priest calls out ALS and asks others to challenge ALS to stop funding the fetal stem cell research.

A message posted under this YouTube vid below reads, “My daughter Rachel was nominated for the Ice Bucket Challenge. ~~ Because ALS is supportive of embryonic stem cell research, we decided that donating to The John Paul II Medical Research Institute was a much better alternative! ( http://www.jp2mri.org ) They are 100% Pro-life ! Please consider donating to JP2MRI”

According to Mark Harrington of the pro-life group, Created Equal which uses abortion victim images to educate the public about abortion, David Kopechek, a former pro-life student leader,is trying to raise awareness for the thousands of unborn that are killed every day, and has uploaded a vid to Facebook. You can watch that vid here.