Adrienne Shapiro will tell you that she’s just a mom.

And it’s true. She is just a mom. Just a mom who is the fourth generation of mothers in her family to have children born with sickle cell disease. Just a mom who was an early advocate of innovative stem cell and gene therapy research by UCLA scientist Dr. Don Kohn which has led to an on-going, CIRM-funded clinical trial for sickle cell disease. Just a mom who is the patient advocate representative on a Clinical Advisory Panel (CAP) that CIRM is creating to help guide this clinical trial.

She’s just a mom who has become a vocal stem cell activist, speaking to various groups about the importance of CIRM’s investments in both early stage research and clinical trials. She’s just a mom who was awarded a Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Action Award at last month’s World Stem Cell Summit. She’s just a mom who, in her own words, “sees a new world not just for her children but for so many other children”, through the promise of stem cell therapies.

Yep, she’s just a mom. And it’s the tireless advocacy of moms like Adrienne that will play a critical role in accelerating stem cell therapies to patients with unmet medical needs. We can use all the moms we can get.

Adrienne Shapiro speaks to the CIRM governing Board about her journey as a patient advocate