As we stand on the precipice of a more virtual and socially-distanced future, we want to ensure that expectant parents feel connected with cord blood banking. July marks Cord Blood Awareness Month, a month to recognize the significance of cord blood stem cells and the potential life-saving capability that these cells possess. Our team at Cryo-Cell, and our partnering healthcare providers across the U.S., are committed to helping parents understand the possibilities that lie within umbilical stem cell preservation.
Cryo-Cell cord blood educators are available around the U.S. to work with parents and physicians on delivering information and resources. Hear what healthcare providers around the country are saying about Cryo-Cell and cord blood banking:
What Healthcare Providers Say About Cord Blood Banking
Dr. Kelly Helms of Arizona Women’s Care OBGYN advises her patients, “Banking your cord blood with Cryo-Cell is truly an investment in your child’s future; Cryo-Cell is leading the research on so many fronts throughout so many life stages, including autism, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s- it isn’t just for childhood cancers. Cryo-Cell’s service is on-point, reliable, and has very competitive pricing. I recommend my patients use Cryo-Cell!”
Dr. Clement Hsiao of Alliance OBGYN Group shared, “I am an OB/GYN, and I chose to bank with Cryo-Cell due to their technology and reputation. I was not disappointed as they were able to process and store cord blood and tissue for both my daughters with excellent results. The customer service was prompt and friendly. I am recommending the company to all my patients interested in personal cord blood storage.”
Similarly, Dr. Caterina Violi of For Women-By Women OBGYN, expressed, “Cryo-Cell’s commitment to education and advancement in research in their field is one of the many reasons that I recommend this company to my obstetrical patients. It is a leading trusted cord blood company that I have worked with for over 20 years. The cord blood educators’ genuine concern for patients is a true reflection of Cryo-Cell.”
Cryo-Cell Stands As a Leader in Cord Blood Banking
Throughout Cryo-Cell’s history, we have led the way in terms of technology, superior processing, and dedication to bringing forth innovations in private banking. We have adjusted and improved not only with science and technology, but also with the way we educate parents and physicians. The landscape of cord blood banking is changing as new discoveries are being revealed to treat degenerative and neurological conditions through the use of umbilical stem cells.
Dr. Paul Rebenack of Women’s Care Florida conveyed his very personal connection with cord blood banking, sharing, “After following stem cell therapy for several years, and sharing two successful umbilical stem cell transplants within my family, I am convinced that all parents should consider saving their newborn’s cord blood stem cells and a section of the umbilical cord for tissue stem cells. I consider Cryo-Cell to be a company that has been a long-standing pioneer among family cord blood banks. The quality of their standards and preservation plans, their passion for cord blood educators, their partnership with Duke University Medical Center, and their science and dedication to stem cell advancements continue to impress me. For these reasons, I have made a lifelong decision to share Cryo-Cell cord blood banking with every expecting family and to also register each of my future grandchildren with Cryo-Cell for umbilical stem cell preservation.”
The Emergence of Cord Blood Banking
The benefits of cord blood banking extend beyond its current uses into the future of the unknown. Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, a world-renown researcher and clinical expert on cord blood and lead investigator in the clinical trials using umbilical stem cells to treat neurological diseases at Duke University, predicted, “…the use of cord blood cells, in both autologous and allogeneic settings, as cellular therapies in the emerging field of regenerative medicine, currently in its infancy, will emerge as one of the major great advances in novel therapeutics in medicine over the next decade.” Currently, cord blood is used in the standardized treatment of 80 diseases. This number will likely increase as more clinical trials progress. It is estimated that 1 out of 217 people will undergo a cord blood transplant by the age of 70 in the U.S.
Since the first successful cord blood transplant in 1988, to today, there have been over 50,000 transplants performed worldwide. Cord blood has become a preferred source over bone marrow to treat certain disorders because of its reduced risk of post-transplant graft-versus-host disease, ease of collection, and ability to differentiate into other cell types. The stem cells found within cord blood are always a perfect match for the child and serve as a partial match for siblings and parents(1). Thus, preserving these precious stem cells allows families to have access to a broader range of treatment options.
Cord Blood Banking Today, For A Future Tomorrow
Often, knowledge of what these cells are, what they can do, and the process of preservation starts with your obstetric- gynecologist. Legislation mandating cord blood education took a big step forward after the Institute of Medicine provided Congress with a report on the benefits of stem cells found in umbilical cord blood, as mandated by the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (Stem Cell Act 2005) and amended by the Stem Cell Therapeutic Reauthorization Act of 2010 and 2015. Today, 31 states in the United States have adopted a law or have a piece of pending legislation that requires or encourages OBGYNs to educate expectant parents about cord blood banking. Education is paramount.
Treatments using cord blood and cord tissue stem cells are being explored in conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke, brain injury, diabetes, and many others. Medical necessity breeds medical innovation, and the world is witnessing this, as we speak, through the clinical trials that are taking place to combat the respiratory effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this world-shift, there is also a change in the way expectant parents navigate the joys and challenges of pregnancy.
Cryo-Cell Is Celebrating Cord Blood Awareness Month
In honor of this month, Cryo-Cell has launched a virtual seminar for expectant parents to go more in-depth on the importance of umbilical stem cell banking, the banking process, the treatments currently being used, the treatments in research, and your banking options. This seminar will take place many times throughout the year and will provide parents with a unique opportunity to have their questions answered by our cord blood educators- in a more interactive setting. We understand new parents have a lot of questions. We also know that the prospect of standardized treatment through the use of cord blood cells remains largely unknown by expectant parents. We hope to spread awareness on the topic so parents can make an informed decision regarding stem cell preservation.
The decision to preserve your baby’s stem cells is an important one- a unique opportunity only presented at birth. Cord blood awareness begins with education, and we are doing our part to spread the word. Ultimately, the conversation about cord blood begins with understanding what it is and what it can do. If you are pregnant or know someone who is, we urge you to share an invitation and join us for one of our upcoming virtual seminars!
Click the button below to register for an upcoming virtual seminar happening via Zoom!
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