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By John-Henry Westen OTTAWA, February 5, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – According to the website of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (HSFC) some 140,000 volunteers are actively fundraising for the organization during “Heart month”, which is this month.  Many of those volunteers, however, do not know that the HSFC is open to funding embryonic stem cell research.

  The foundation commenced its association with the controversial practice in 2003 when it issued a “Human Stem Cell Research Policy Statement” admitting to being open to funding destructive research on human embryos as well as research on aborted baby body parts. “In sum, the Foundation will fund research that derives stem cells from i) existing human embryos or, ii) human fetal material resulting from elective abortions”.

  Since then, pro-life leaders in Canada have warned pro-life Canadians against donating to and volunteering for HSFC and other organizations which support destructive research on human embryos

  Volunteers for HSFC at both lower and higher levels have been uninformed about HSFC’s support for embryonic stem cell research.  Much confusion on the matter has stemmed from HSFC responses to inquiries about the organization’s support for embryonic stem cell research.  A clear statement that HSFC is open to funding human embryonic stem cell research, is not admitted in such response letters, even though that is the policy of the organization.

  Door-to-door volunteers for HSFC have contacted LifeSiteNews.com seeking confirmation of our reportage on the organization’s support of embryonic stem cell research.  Moreover, a few months ago an area manager for an Ontario branch of the Heart and Stroke Foundation demanded a correction on LifeSiteNews.com, but relented when furnished with evidence that our information was accurate.

  Such confusion is understandable since a carefully worded policy document on the matter fails to mention the fact that HSFC will fund embryonic stem cell research which complies with the guidelines of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. 

  LifeSiteNews.com has confirmed that the 2007-2008 guidelines for HSFC funding clearly state that HSFC remains open to funding “research involving human pluripotent (embryonic) stem cells.”

  Calls to HSFC offices for comment were not returned by press time.

  To express concerns to the Heart and Stroke Foundation:
  https://ww2.heartandstroke.ca/Page.asp?PageID=97

  Resource: List of Canadian Charities Which Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research
  https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/sep/060918a.html

  See the HSFC 2007-2008 funding application:
  https://www.hsf.ca/research/application/JP07.pdf