I was surfing around YouTube and was amazed with the number of videos related to cord blood banking. One that I found especially valuable was a YouTube video from Suze Orman’s show on CNBC. She does a segment called “Can You Afford It.” A viewer called in to see if she could afford cord blood …
Continue ReadingUnlimited Source of Stem Cells
A recent article from the National Post in Canada provides a great overview of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), stem cells that appear to provide extensive opportunity for healing. Scientists are exploring the potential of MSCs, but have had difficulty with finding them since they were only available through bone marrow or fat from liposuction. The …
Continue ReadingDonating Cord Blood Can Be A Challenge
Last month, MinnPost ran an opinion piece discussing cord blood donation and the difficulties with donating cord blood in different states. According to the article, there are only 22 states that offer public cord blood banking options. These options are only available through certain hospitals. This is why it is sometimes difficult to find a …
Continue ReadingMovie Mirrors Real Life Stem Cell Dilemma
As we all know by now, there’s a movie out, My Sister’s Keeper, that dramatizes the experience of a family trying to save a child with Franconi anemia by having a child whose stem cells matched and were successfully transplanted into the sick child. Though the movie has been criticized by its variance from reality, …
Continue ReadingInformation on Donating Cord Blood
On our cord blood banking blog, we want parents-to-be to have the whole story, not just information that serves our lab. Here is a Web site with information about donating cord blood. The site reports that about “20% of patients that need a transplant to replace their blood-forming cells receive cord blood that was donated …
Continue ReadingScientist Receives Grant to Study Cord Blood Stem Cell Expansions
A scientist at the Loyola University Health System, last month, received a grant from the Amgen Foundation. Dr. Aileen Go is researching the use of cord blood as a treatment for leukemia and lymphoma patients who are 55-75. Dr. Go is exploring the expansion of cord blood stem cells to allow a single cord blood …
Continue ReadingCord Blood Options
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers expectant parents a great overview of different options of what to do with their cord blood. Cord blood is such a valuable resource and most of it ends up as medical waste. If you are expecting a baby, make sure you know about your options.
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