Spinal injury motivates man to battle research on embryos

Don Bodak isn't one to back away from a fight -- at least, not when it comes to defending his beliefs. At the top of that list is his vehement opposition to embryonic stem-cell research.

These days, Mr. Bodak's letters of protest to politicians and media outlets are typed into his computer with one hand, while two canes and a walker are propped nearby for when he needs to move from his chair.

Seven years ago, a car crash temporarily left the 71-year-old former accountant a quadriplegic.

Still disabled

While he has regained some use of his arms and legs, his life has been irrevocably changed.

For example, he uses a special reclining chair that lifts him to a standing position. He has no feeling below chest level, so he can't control his bowels and bladder.

Because he can't sit in church pews or walk more than a few steps, he uses a wheelchair when he goes to Mass at his parish, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church in Queensbury, or to the mall.

'Miracle man'

Doctors aren't sure how he can walk at all and call him "the miracle man."

Mr. Bodak credits "faith, prayer and trust" in God for bringing about the extent of the recovery he has experienced. He recalled praying the Rosary endlessly right after his accident, when he was still completely paralyzed and feeling "big-time despair" about the rest of his life.

Then a personal care aide came into his room and decided to help him stand up. Mr. Bodak felt "this rush go down my legs," which he believes was God healing him; within days, he was walking a few steps with support.

Stem cells

During his recovery, Mr. Bodak started hearing about embryonic stem-cell research. He said he didn't even know what a stem cell was, so he looked up the terminology online.

What he found greatly disturbed him: that human embryos are destroyed in such research, including research into healing spinal-cord injuries like his.

"Embryos are human beings. If you're going to extract [stem cells], you're going to kill them," he said simply. "If you believe in embryonic stem-cell research, you're killing a child. You are advocating murder."

Pro-life attitude

Before his accident, Mr. Bodak volunteered in prison ministry at several area correctional facilities. Since he doesn't believe in capital punishment for adults, he doesn't think the unborn should be killed, either.

"The Pope says, 'Get rid of the culture of death,'" he stated. "I don't believe in killing."

Besides, he noted, embryonic stem-cell research has not shown any promising results.

Letter-man

Mr. Bodak spends his days writing to President George W. Bush, the Supreme Court, local newspapers, national columnists and others to make his voice heard about stem cells.

As a person living with a spinal cord injury, he said his is an important voice in the fight against destroying human embryos for research.

"If my ability to walk depended on me killing a child, I would much rather be a quadriplegic," he told The Evangelist -- and he's ready to take on anyone who disagrees. "I like this kind of fighting."

(Learn more about the Church's position on embryonic stem-cell research at www.nyscatholic.org.)

(3/23/06) [[In-content Ad]]