Grandparents Give The Gift of Cord Blood Banking

Grandparents only want the best for their grandchildren. While toys and clothes have been traditional baby shower gifts, many grandparents are also in search of more meaningful gifts that will help provide a brighter future for the newest addition to the family, as well as for other family members. nnnInvesting for the FuturennnIt’s not unusual for grandparents to invest in savings bonds, college funds or life insurance policies as presents for their new grandchildren. Even in households where the budget is tight, grandparents frequently come together with other family members to provide these lasting gifts. nnnIn recent years, a new trend in gift giving has emerged with the development of placenta and cord blood banking – the long-term storage of a newborn’s stem cells for potential therapeutic use in the future. nnnMany grandparents are offering to contribute toward the cost of storing their newborn grandchildren’s stem cells, thus giving the parents-to-be a unique gift as well as greater peace of mind when it comes to their children’s future health.nnnHope for Successful TreatmentnnnCord blood and placenta-derived stem cells have great potential to expand a family’s treatment options for a variety of serious and often life-threatening diseases. Stem cell transplants have been used to treat serious diseases in children and adults including various cancers such as leukemia, certain lymphomas, and many other diseases. To date, there are more than 80 diseases for which stem cell transplants have been used to treat patients. nnnA recent advance in cord blood banking now offers the option to bank newborn stem cells from two sources – both the umbilical cord and the placenta. Traditional cord blood banking includes only the collection and storage of stem cells from umbilical cord blood. Now, through a patented process from LifebankUSA(TM), parents can bank stem cells from the placenta in addition to those collected through conventional cord blood. This process dramatically increases the number of stem cells retrieved, thereby improving the likelihood of successful engraftment, should a transplant be needed, and, with it, the likelihood of restoring the patient’s health.nnnIn addition, research is constantly underway to find new medical uses for stem cells, including treating Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, diabetes, Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), cardiac repair and spinal cord injuries. In time, through the use of stem cells, life-saving treatments for these conditions could become a reality.nnnThe Benefits of Private BankingnnnIf the need should arise, locating a suitable stem cell transplant match from public registries can be difficult and often takes precious time. Once collected and stored at the time of birth, privately banked stem cells provide that baby with an exact match for a potential stem cell transplant for years to come. Otherwise, without a privately banked unit, a search could take months and still be unsuccessful. In fact, thousands of people every year who are waiting for a stem cell transplant don’t ever receive one.(1) And, the statistical likelihood of finding a suitable donor further decreases for children of ethnic or racial minorities or adopted children. For these families, private placenta and cord blood banking improves the likelihood that a suitable transplant match will be immediately available.nnnFamily members may also benefit from private banking, as there’s a stronger chance of a suitable match for the baby’s siblings, parents, grandparents and other close relatives compared with the use of stem cells from a public registry. In fact, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that the 1-year survival rate for patients treated with cord blood stem cells from a relative was 63%—compared with only 29% from unrelated donors, and that number increases if the transplant recipient is using his or her own stem cells.(2)nnnOnce-in-a-Lifetime OpportunitynnnBanking cord blood and placenta-derived stem cells provides grandparents with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help protect their grandchild’s future health, and the health of their immediate family. However, while the decision to bank can be made at any point during the pregnancy, families need to do so before the baby is born.nnnThe only time to collect umbilical cord blood and the placenta is at the time of delivery. After the baby has been born and the umbilical cord cut, the doctor or midwife collects the cord blood and the placenta. The simple, non-invasive process only takes about five minutes and poses no risk to either the mother or the newborn. The entire collection is then transported to the banking facility, where it its processed and cryogenically stored (frozen) for potential future use. nnnAnytime a new baby is expected, grandparents should consider contributing toward cord blood and placenta-derived stem cell preservation. Banking a newborn’s stem cells is a meaningful gift that will last long after the clothes and toys have been outgrown.nnnSources: nnn1. Meyer EA, Hanna K, Gebbie K, eds. Cord Blood: Establishing a National Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank Program. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2005 2. Gluckman E, Rocha V, Boyer-Chammard A, et al. Outcome of cord blood transplantation from related and unrelated donors. N Engl J Med. 1997; 337:373-381.nnnAbout LifebankUSAnnnLifebankUSA is one of the largest cord blood banks in the world, and has provided cord blood banking services for thousands of families worldwide. LifebankUSA is also the world's first bank to offer families the new option to collect and preserve stem cells derived from the placenta as well as the umbilical cord (Placenta•Cord banking) for hematopoietic reconstitution. In addition to being the world's first Placenta•Cord banking company, LifebankUSA is committed to being at the forefront of research and development to help ensure a more promising future for both placental and umbilical cord blood stem cell therapeutics. n LifebankUSA is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), accredited by the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks), certified by ISO (International Organization for Standardization), and holds all necessary state licenses.nnnThe chance that a child will use his/her own stored cord blood stem cells during his/her lifetime is estimated at 1 in 400 (J.J. Nietfeld and F. Verter). These odds may increase if there is a family history of certain blood disorders or cancers. The potential risks and benefits of stem cell transplantation vary and depend on many factors, such as the amount and quality of the cord blood stem cells collected, the HLA compatibility between recipient and donor, and the client’s overall health.nnnThis article is copyrighted for and by LifebankUSA. It may not be reproduced in whole or in part and may not be posted on other websites, without the express written permission of the author who may be contacted via email at lifebankusa@digitalbrandexpressions.com.nnn