Campaign couple back embryo research

Pensioners Patrick and Alma Rooney are the frail and elderly couple who battled their way up to London in support of the controversial Human Fertility and Embryology Bill.

Patrick, 80, has been the victim of five heart attacks, and a massive stroke, and has diabetes to contend with, while Alma, 77, has suffered Parkinson's Disease since 1988.

Their amazing effort was not in vain - MPs have now voted to allow hybrid embryo and stem cell experimentation to go ahead which Patrick said gives "a little bit of hope."

He told the Observer: "We have got everything we expected. Absolutely.

"And to have both Gordon Brown and David Cameron to say they are behind this is encouraging. We are not in any shape or form trying to pre-empt anyone - but anyone who disagrees with it is not right."

Patrick, of Alexander Court in Little Common, believes future stem cell research means others will not suffer devastating conditions such as Motor Neurone Disease or Parkinson's Disease.

"Cancer has decimated my family, and Alma's too, and there is now a possibility in future we will not have to go through the trauma and pain of having to work out our time in suffering.

"None of us are masochistic - we didn't choose this and Alma didn't pick to have Parkinson's.

"It took over our lives. It became a 24 hours a day job. When she started deteriorating she had nothing to go with, she had no relief from it whatsoever."

He believes prevention of illness such as Motor Neurone Disease and cancer is a real possibility following research work which will now go ahead.

"One must have hope. You have to allow people to have hope.

"But it is prevention rather than cure - it is about preventing the thing from happening."