[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 18460]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF STORK MEDICAL

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                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 10, 2008

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Stork 
Medical, a company that fulfills a great need in the medical community.
  Hope is a powerful emotion. It can turn despair into jubilation; 
futility into purpose, fear into comfort; and isolation into community. 
Because Stork Medical and Community Blood Services are helping to 
provide hope to our military, it is my privilege to honor these 
patriotic companies with this resolution. Their forward thinking and 
generous program makes umbilical cord blood storage affordable to all 
who have ever served in our military, and are thus transforming this 
abstract word into a tangible commodity.
   With the help of Stork Medical and Community Blood Services, the 
depressed soldier lying in bed, recovering from war injuries, will now 
have the hope that stored cord blood may one day repair his or her 
spinal cord injury, brain trauma, or even restore an amputated limb. 
Hope enables a smile to appear, a laugh to become audible, and allows 
healing to truly begin. To be sure, hope is potent medicine.
  Families of our soldiers bravely live in a perpetual state of 
anxiety, constantly praying for the safe return of their beloved. These 
families, who reluctantly send their loved ones into battle, now have 
the hope that if a major injury occurs, it may one day be reversible 
through the use of this ``liquid gold.'' With stem cells already being 
used to build new fingers, bladders, noses, heart valves, and 
cartilage, it is more than just a ``wish.''
  Madam Speaker, it is indeed ``hope.'' With their proven ability to 
treat many leukemias and cancers, these cells, which are harvested 
without any injury to the baby or mother, offer protection for soldiers 
exposed to chemical warfare and other toxic battlefield substances. 
Since these cells can be used for any close family member, they also 
offer added protection against many of the unspoken fears that young 
parents harbor.
  This gift is a spectacular example of patriotism in its finest form. 
This program is offered by private enterprise without asking for a 
single tax dollar. It demonstrates that everyone can play a part in 
defending our freedom and liberty. As our military and their families 
sacrifice to defend all that we hold dear, Stork Medical and Community 
Blood Services have put hope into action.

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