Patricia Durante was 26 weeks pregnant when she was diagnosed with leukemia. “It was the worst day of my life,” Patricia says. “We were planning a family and beginning our lives together and it just felt like the end was near.” At 31 weeks of pregnancy, Patricia delivered her daughter, whom she named Victoria Angel…. Read more »
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A revolutionary technique has opened up new doors for the use of cord blood stem cells as a potential cure for cancer. Medical researchers have long examined the use of cord blood transplants as a method for treating leukemia and other blood diseases. Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre Cord Blood Transplant Program Director Dr. Colleen… Read more »
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One of the many questions we are asked by expectant parents who are considering banking their baby’s cord blood is: what are the odds of needing a cord blood transplant in the future? In order to answer this question, we must consider not only the types of treatments currently available, but also emerging cell therapies… Read more »
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Unlike those of bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells, cord blood stem cell transplants do not require an exact HLA match. This is because cord blood stem cells are more primitive and adaptable cells. What this means is that it is easier and faster to find a suitable donor for a cord blood transplant… Read more »
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We recently blogged about the potential of umbilical cord blood banking – touching on the exciting changes that have occurred over the last 25 years, and what we can look forward to in years to come. What’s even more fascinating is tracking these trends from a worldwide scope, and narrowing in on where Canada stands… Read more »
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The year of 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the first cord blood transplant. The transplant was performed in Paris on October 6, 1988. Since that time, over 600,000 cord blood units have been collected and stored in more than 100 public cord blood banks worldwide. The field of umbilical cord blood transplants (UCBT) has matured… Read more »
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As with any medical treatment, patients contemplating stem cell therapy should educate themselves on both the benefits and potential risks associated, and speak with their doctors to learn more about the effectiveness of the treatment. Cells For Life is committed to providing education and increasing awareness. We want to ensure you have access to all… Read more »
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Expectant parents face a lot of medical jargon when researching various topics associated with pregnancy. In today’s era, when a simple search on the Internet leads to an overwhelming amount of conflicting information, it’s important to understand what exactly you’re reading. When it comes to cord blood banking, the Cells For Life team aims to… Read more »
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