July is National Cord Blood Awareness Month, presenting an opportunity for families around the world to learn about the benefits of cord blood banking. The month-long campaign promoted by hospitals and organizations is dedicated to raising awareness and encouraging patients and families to speak with their healthcare providers about the potential of cord blood stem cells.
What is Cord Blood?
Medical research has shown that umbilical cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, which can develop into various types of blood cells. Collected from the umbilical cord at birth, these unique cells can be stored in a cord blood storage bank to be used in future treatment if needed.
You have a once in a lifetime opportunity to collect your baby’s cord blood. It can be a precious health resource for the future and should not be wasted. At Cells for Life, we encourage parents to donate their baby’s cord blood to a public bank if they decide not to store it privately.
Emerging Cord Blood Stem Cell Therapies
Ongoing clinical research suggests cord blood stem cells hold potential to offer therapy in an ever-growing list of diseases and disorders, such as Cerebral Palsy, Type 1 Diabetes and Spinal Cord Injury. Currently, these stem cells are being used to treat over 80 different diseases. Family cord blood banking is considered a form of health insurance, where parents make an investment as a hedge against future developments.
How Do You Choose a Cord Blood Bank?
Selecting the right cord blood bank is as important a decision as the choice to save your baby’s umbilical cord blood. Cord Blood Awareness Month presents an excellent opportunity to compare cord blood banks and make an informed decision. At Cells for Life, we offer all of the information and documentation you need to do just that. Here are some questions to consider to get you start.
Contact Cells for Life today if you have any additional questions or concerns. You can also join a Group Information Session held in a city near you, or attend a Webinar.
About Cells for Life
Cells for Life is one of the first cord blood companies in Canada. We take pride in the fact that Cells for Life was founded in 1997 by medical professionals and continues to be managed by a professional team of doctors, scientists and registered nurses. Our Medical Director, Obstetrician Dr. Michael Virro is supported by our clinical educators whom have extensive experience in labour & delivery and pediatrics. In addition, we have developed strong, long term relationships with hospitals, clinics, medical and birthing professionals across Canada to maintain quality throughout the entire process. Since 1997, we have stored over 40,000 cord blood units. Biorepository (storage) is located in Toronto General Hospital.
