Umbilical cord blood contains blood-forming cells that can be used to treat life-threatening diseases and conditions. Expectant parents who do not want to store their baby's cord blood for private use can donate it to a cord blood bank. Donated cord blood is available for public use and research, and has proven to save many lives.
In 2006, Shelia Gannon was close to the end of a losing battle against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a form of cancer that causes abnormal blood formation and a shortage of red and normal white blood cells and platelets. After chemotherapy, her cancer went into remission. A bone marrow transplant would have cured her but there was no match from her family members or the six million people on the marrow donor registry. Her doctors suggested the possibility of a cord blood stem cell transplant. Unfortunately, when she arrived at a Minnesota clinic for the procedure, her cancer had returned and she was no longer able to have the transplant. In Denver, she underwent chemotherapy again. Her doctor at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center decided to test a new double cord blood transplant on her. The procedure involved transplanting blood from 2 cords, so that one of them could save her life. On January 3, 2006, Sheila Gannon was given cord blood from one male and one female baby. She recovered slowly and her body developed a new immune system. As at March 12, 2007, Sheila has been in remission for a year. The donated cord blood has given her a second chance at life.
David Kawika Schutte is further proof of the life saving potential of cord blood stem cells. Both he and his twin brother, Christopher Ikaika Schutte were diagnosed with Neutropenia. This is a rare blood disease where the body does not produce white blood cells at all. Those that have this disease rarely live beyond 2-3 years old. While the twins were given daily shots to boost their immune systems, David Kawika developed leukemia. Given his practically non-existent immune system, chemotherapy was not an option as it would have killed him. A bone marrow transplant would have cured him but there was no matching donor. When a cord match was eventually found for him, he underwent a cord blood stem cell transplant for leukemia. Following the treatment, David's body created a new blood supply complete with white cells, hence a new immune system. David's recovery has given hope to his twin brother, Christopher who is still waiting for a bone marrow or cord blood match.
It is your personal choice whether to store your baby's cord blood for private use or donate it for public use. There is a need for ongoing cord blood donation especially from diverse racial and ethnic groups. The fact remains that patients from these groups have lower chances of finding matched donors than White patients.
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth. It contains stem cells that can differentiate into many types of cells in the body. Umbilical cord blood stem cells hold significant potential in treating life threatening diseases and conditions, including cancer. They are able to regenerate immune system and replace damaged or diseased cells.
In early 2006, Dr. Felipe-Andres Ramirez-Weber was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of blood and bone marrow cancer, acute myelogenous leukemia. A bone marrow transplant was his only cure for this disease. But there were no matches from his family members or other donors (given his Latino ethnicity) and his fate was looking grim. He decided to take part in a clinical trial with Delta-expanded stem cells at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and became the first patient to undergo expanded cord blood stem cell transplant in the world. He was given two units of cord blood but the stem cells in one of the units were dramatically increased from 200,000 to 13 million per kilogram of body weight. Ramirez-Weber was engrafted in half the time of a bone marrow transplant. He is recovering well and has been healthy since the transplant. He would not have been cured at a sooner time if not for the cord blood donated by someone else.
In another case, a twin boy was born with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), a rare and fatal disorder. Mason Williams' own body did not produce enough white blood cells to fight off even the smallest infection. Exposure to any germs could literally kill him. Both he and his twin brother, Peyton Williams were confined to their home which had to be completely sanitized at all times. Children with this particular disease rarely live to get to kindergarten. Although Peyton was healthy, he also had to be confined as he could not risk bringing home the germs from playing with other kids.
Mason was fortunate when a national search at Duke University hospital found a match for his stem cell transplant. A mother had donated her baby's umbilical cord blood at birth. In the beginning of 2002, stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord blood were transplanted into Mason. After much trepidation and a one year waiting period, the cord blood stem cell transplant was confirmed a success and Mason recovered fully from SCID. The stem cells created an entirely new immune system, thus enabling the boy to live normally.
These two cases are some examples of the life-saving potentials of umbilical cord blood stem cells. If you choose to donate your baby's cord blood, it can give someone else a chance at life that they may not have had otherwise. The decision is yours, and an important one. Be sure to think about the potential good this act can do for others.
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