CORD BLOOD
BANKING
WHAT IS
CORD BLOOD?
Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is delivered. In the past, cord blood was traditionally discarded as medical waste. However, following years of research, medical scientists have now applied the stem cells found in cord blood to successfully treat over 80 diseases!
Thus far, cord blood stem cells have been successfully used to treat numerous diseases, including cancers (such as leukemia, lymphomas, myelomas), blood disorders (such as thalassemias, sickle cell anemia, Fanconi’s anemia), and immune deficiency diseases. Please refer to all treatable diseases. Recently, cord blood stem cells have been used in clinical trials to repair damaged tissues and organs (regenerative medicine), and the outcomes have been promising.
BANK YOUR BABY'S CORD BLOOD WITH THE INDUSTRY'S BEST
LIFE-SAVING POTENTIALS OF
CORD BLOOD
CORD BLOOD IS RICH IN HEMATOPOIETIC(BLOOD-FORMING) STEM CELLS
Bone marrow transplantation is a definitive or adjuvant therapy for patients with otherwise life-threatening diseases; however, finding a suitable bone marrow donor in a timely manner when a patient requires a transplant can be extremely difficult. Cord blood has the same types of stem cells as those found in bone marrow. The cells in cord blood can therefore be used as an alternative to bone marrow stem cells to save the lives of patients.
IT CONTAINS VALUABLE, THERAPEUTIC STEM CELLS
Unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC)
The discovery of unrestricted somatic stem cells (USSC), a non-hematopoietic stem cell population, brought cord blood (CB) to the forefront of regenerative medicine, a new field that uses cord blood to repair damaged tissues and organs (Matsumoto T and Mugishima H, Int J Stem Cells, 83-89 Nov 2(2) 2009).
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC)
Mesenchymal stem cells are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of cell types, such as osteoblasts (bone cells), chondrocytes (cartilage cells) and adipocytes (fat cells) and more. (A.Malgieri, E. Kantzari, M. Patrizi and S. Gambaradella, IJCEM, 248-269, 2010)
Endothelial progenitor cells (EPC)
The use of human cord-blood-derived EPCs is used for the induction of angiogenesis in critically ischemic diseases.
IT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY USED TO TREAT VARIOUS LIFE-THREATENING DISEASES
Stem cells have been used to treat many types of malignant and non-malignant life-threatening diseases. Cord blood stem cells have saved the lives of over forty thousand patients worldwide.
It has been recommended that transplanting cord blood stem cells with a perfect HLA match should be the first choice over bone marrow to treat malignant diseases (Smith A. and Wagner J. BJH147, 246–261, 2009).
100% MATCH WITH YOUR BABY
The number of the autologous therapy cases (treatment using the baby’s own cord blood stem cells) has raised exponentially, compared with the growth in the number of treatments using cord blood stem cells donated by others. (Verter F and Nietfeld J. Cytotherapy Vol.12 Supplement 1, 2010 (abstract)).
Since there is a chance that a child may be a close match with a sibling, it is more beneficial to save cord blood stem cells from each child to increase the probability of matching a family member who may develop a disease requiring stem cell therapy. Moreover, the additional cord blood units can be used for patients whose treatments may require two cord blood units.
AUTOLOGOUS TRANSPLANTATION OF CORD BLOOD
The rising rate of autologous therapy (treatment with the donor’s own cord blood stem cells) exceeds exponential growth, compared with linear growth in the number of allogeneic cord blood transplants being performed (NMDP) (treatment with cord blood stem cells donated by others) (Verter F and Nietfeld J. Cytotherapy Vol.12 Supplement 1, 2010 (abstract)).
ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY
Cord blood can only be collected at birth but the life saving potential of these valuable cells can last a life-time.
TREATABLE DISEASES
OVER 80 TYPES OF DISEASES TREATABLE BY CORD BLOOD TRANSPLANTATION
PROGENICS
COLLECTION KIT
Progenics’ collection kit contains all the supplies your healthcare provider will need for the collection of your baby’s Cord Blood and Cord Tissue.
1. Cooling Pack
2. Sterile ChloraPrep® Applicator
3. Cord Blood Label and Tamper Evident Seal
4. Sterile Cord Blood Collection Bag
5. 6mL Tubes
6. Collection Instruction, and Cord Blood & Cord Tissue Collection Record
7. Collection Kit (Local)
8. LogTag (Temperature Monitor)
9. Cord Tissue Specimen Container
THREE EASY STEPS TO BANK
CORD BLOOD
STEP 1
REGISTRATION
Registration can be completed in person, over the phone, online, by fax, mail, or e-mail. Register 2 to 3 months in advance and receive your collection kit.
(In certain circumstances you can still register with Progenics as long as there is enough time to deliver a collection kit to you before you give birth to your baby. Emergency kits are also available at certain hospitals in the GTA and surrounding areas, please give us a call for more information!)
STEP 2
COLLECTION
Bring your collection kit to the hospital on the day of your delivery. Your healthcare provider will use the supplies for collecting the samples.
STEP 3
COURIER TO PROGENICS
Contact Progenics’ designated courier for collection kit pick-up.
