Laurie Strongin
Encyclopedia
Laurie Strongin is the author of the upcoming Hyperion book, Saving Henry: A Mother's Journey. The book tells the story of her family's pioneering use of in vitro fertilization and Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
to try to save the life of her son, Henry Strongin Goldberg, who was born with a genetic disease Fanconi anemia. in December, 2002, Henry ultimately died of the disease and complications related to a bone marrow transplant. Prior to his death, Henry was profiled in a New York Times magazine cover story and an episode of ABC New's Nightline.
In the years after her son's death, Strongin became an advocate for relaxing the ban on Federal support for stem cell research. She and her husband, Allen Goldberg, appeared with then-House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Diane DeGette (D-CO) in a press conference to urge the passage the Senate companion legislation to the House of Representative's Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.
Strongin also published an op-ed in the Washington Post on July 23, 2006 titled, Vetoing Henry, which took issue with President George W. Bush's veto a week earlier of Congress's attempt to remove funding restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. This veto was the first of George W. Bush's presidency.
In addition to her advocacy work, Strongin founded a non-profit, Hope for Henry Foundation, that provides gifts and parties for children hospitalized around the country with life-threatening diseases. Laurie was named an 2009 Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame Semifinalist.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis
In medicine and genetics pre-implantation genetic diagnosis refers to procedures that are performed on embryos prior to implantation, sometimes even on oocytes prior to fertilization. PGD is considered another way to prenatal diagnosis...
to try to save the life of her son, Henry Strongin Goldberg, who was born with a genetic disease Fanconi anemia. in December, 2002, Henry ultimately died of the disease and complications related to a bone marrow transplant. Prior to his death, Henry was profiled in a New York Times magazine cover story and an episode of ABC New's Nightline.
In the years after her son's death, Strongin became an advocate for relaxing the ban on Federal support for stem cell research. She and her husband, Allen Goldberg, appeared with then-House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Diane DeGette (D-CO) in a press conference to urge the passage the Senate companion legislation to the House of Representative's Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005.
Strongin also published an op-ed in the Washington Post on July 23, 2006 titled, Vetoing Henry, which took issue with President George W. Bush's veto a week earlier of Congress's attempt to remove funding restrictions on human embryonic stem cell research. This veto was the first of George W. Bush's presidency.
In addition to her advocacy work, Strongin founded a non-profit, Hope for Henry Foundation, that provides gifts and parties for children hospitalized around the country with life-threatening diseases. Laurie was named an 2009 Energizer Keep Going Hall of Fame Semifinalist.