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.
Continue ReadingFederal Guidelines for Stem Cell Research Revised
A few months ago, funding restrictions on embryonic stem cell research were loosened. Earlier this month, the National Institute of Health announced new guidelines for federal funding. The creation of new cell lines may not be federally funded, but the restrictions have been loosened with regard to what constitutes an existing cell line. New cell …
Continue ReadingChicago Tribune Offers Cord Blood Banking and Donating Tips
The Chicago Tribune published a short and helpful summary of the dos and don’ts of banking and donating cord blood, including some cautious advice on donating to public banks. The article references three private cord blood banks – because they’re big, no other reason – which reveals the limited scope of the press when considering …
Continue ReadingArchbishop Encourages Cord Blood Banking
Peter Smith, the Archbishop of Cardiff, Wales, is encouraging people to donate their cord blood to cord blood banks. According to the press release, “cord blood is rich in stem cells and is already being used to treat many different diseases including leukemia, sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.” It further explains that “Researchers are now …
Continue ReadingStem Cells and Crohn’s Disease
Scientists in Britain are exploring the use of stem cells to treat Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s Disease is a debilitating disorder that causes ulceration and inflammation of the digestive tract. There is no cure, so treatment involves medication to control symptoms. Doctors are attempting to restart the immune system by destroying the cells that cause the …
Continue ReadingCord Blood Awareness Month
July has been declared Cord Blood Awareness Month by the American Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development. The American Hospital Association encourages all expectant parents to educate themselves about the benefits of cord blood banking. This will allow them to make an informed decision about whether to bank their baby’s cord blood, …
Continue Reading