A national debate over politics and science comes to town Wednesday, Jan. 14, when the Tivoli Theatre hosts a 7 p.m. special screening of “The Accidental Advocate.”
The film by former Dateline NBC producer Jessica Gerstle explores the challenges her father and family face after a bicycle accident leaves him paralyzed from the neck down.
The Tivoli, 6350 Delmar Blvd., is one of 15 theaters in 14 U.S. cities that will show the documentary in the coming weeks. The timing is meant to keep the issue fresh in the minds of Americans who hope President-elect Barack Obama and others back greater federal support for stem cell research. Among those who appear in the 90-minute film are stem cell advocates Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor Michael J. Fox, scientists, religious leaders and political leaders in Washington, D.C.
After the local screening, the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures will co-host a public discussion about the film and recent stem cell advances. Participants will include:
? Dr. Steven Teitelbaum, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis;
? Marie Davis, executive director of the Metro St. Louis/Greater Missouri Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
? Joan Denison, director of the area chapter of Hadassah
? * Eric Westacott, a local attorney who established The Eric Westacott Foundation to raise money for spinal cord research after he was paralyzed playing softball in college.
Tickets for the one-time event are $10.50 each. They are available online at www.landmarktheatres.com. For more information about the film, visit www.theaccidentaladvocate.com.