Donation Kit

Today I received my cord blood donation kit to take to the hospital in a few weeks. For those who may be curious to see what they look like, here are a few pictures.

Stem Cell Beauty Treatment

There was a story today on the news about stem cells being used in beauty treatments. The treatment was originally developed in Russia for treating burn victims during the Afghanistan war. The product is called Amatokin. The cream apparently stimulates a persons own stem cells and it promises the show results in 28 day when applied twice a day.

For the full story click here.

McCain Supports Embryonic Stem Cell Research

As the campaign for our new president rolls on, I find myself disliking McCain more and more. Despite advances in non embryonic stem cell research, he continues to support embryonic stem cell research. The following is an article I found which you can form your own opinion. Not a Liberal…. my eye!

“Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, on Thursday while campaigning in Florida said he continues to support human embryonic stem cell research, the Washington Post reports. When asked whether recent advances in nonembryonic stem cell research would change his stance, McCain replied, “I have not changed my position yet” (Milbank, Washington Post, 1/25).”

” Referring to recent reports that researchers have reprogrammed mature adult human skin cells to produce embryonic-like stem cells, McCain said he believes “skin stem cell research has every potential very soon of making” the issue of embryonic stem cell research “academic.” He said that his decision to support embryonic stem cell research was “one of the toughest” he has had to make, adding that one reason he favors the research is “those embryos will be either discarded or kept in permanent frozen status.”

McCain also said that Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who opposes abortion rights, would play an advisory role in the selection of U.S. Supreme Court nominees if McCain were elected president. He also indicated that Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Antonin Scalia are the models of justices he would like to appoint (Catholic News Agency, 1/23).”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95212.php

"What every parent should know"

These are exerpts from an article I found talking about the importance of banking cord blood.

“With cord blood we are the first in the world to have developed a liver from umbilical cord blood stem cells, an insulin secreting pancreas and also nervous tissues from the brain. “What we are doing now is applying this research to see if it is possible to treat people with our developments shortly,” says Professor McGuckin. “The potential to treat numerous common and life-threatening diseases is enormous. These youthful stem cells found in cord blood are the building cells of the body and they have the capacity to adapt to an environment and help develop and build what ever is needed.”

“I would urge people to save cord blood or donate to public banks if you can’t afford to store it, because at a later date, if your cord blood is still in the public bank there is a high chance of getting it back should you need it,” says Professor McGuckin.
“Statistically, the more cord blood in the bank, the more chance of matches there are for people that need it.” Saving cord blood does sound like a sound biological investment. Apart from already making massive progress in the treatment of diabetes Type 1, strokes, leukemia and certain cancers using cord blood stem cells, Professor McGuckin and his team say they also hope to discover a treatment for ‘bubble gum children’ - children that have lost their immune systems and have to stay inside pressurised bubbles because if you touch them they die of infection.
“All it takes is a few minutes after a baby’s birth to collect these precious cells, but unfortunately not enough parents know that this could be an option for them,” says Professor McGuckin. “It’s not good enough just putting a brochure in a doctor’s lab, we need to really be putting the message out there for people to consider.”
“Preserving cord blood could save many lives and lots of money in the very near future.”

http://www.7days.ae/en/2008/02/04/sly-wants-to-take-on-junta.html

Future Cure For Stroke Victims

I just ran across this article from National Geographic News. The University of Minnesota conducted a research study on the effects of Umbilical Cord Stem Cells on rats who had suffered strokes. They found that these cells largely reversed the effect caused by a stroke. The rats were almost fully healed within 48 hrs. This study is disproving the theory that umbilical cord stem cells can only turn into blood cells. The stem cells were able to turn into brain cells and virtually cure the rats. The treatment did need to happen within a few hours after the stroke but was none the less effective.

A benefit of cord blood stem cells is that unlike organ transplants where there has to be an exact match, stem cells just have to be “similar”. They are more forgiving for compatibility.

Dr. Low is an advacate of public banking. Minnesota’s Low says he would prefer parents donate cord blood to a central reserve that’s available to everyone, strengthening existing public banks. “To me, that makes more sense,” he said. “You make sort of a national cord-blood bank that everyone can deposit into and everyone can draw from.”

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/04/0406_060406_cord_blood_2.html

Stem Cells Future Cure for Baldness

Today on the Today Show, they had a segment on stem cells being a future cure for baldness. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania made the discovery when studying wound healing in mice using stem cells. They soon noticed that new hair follicles had formed as well as new hair growth. It required a protein called wnt which is present in the womb. Without this protein there was no hair growth. Unfortunitly the person will have to have their head “scalped” but there is always a price to pay for beauty. This procedure is still years out but gives hope to the millions of people who are affected by baldness. The hair currently only grows in white, but that’s nothing a good dye job couldn’t fix.

State of the Union

Pres. Bush spoke briefly tonight in his address about stem cell research. He said that he would not support embryonic stem cell research put would work to increase funding for other types of stem cell research. I think that this is a good step forward for researching umbilical cord stem cells as well as for treatments. I have added a page that lists the current diseases that cord blood can help treat on my other site publicstemcellbanking.com . I was surprised at how many there are.

Public Cord Blood Banks

I have finally found a site that lists actual Public Cord Blood Banks both for the US and Internationally. www.parentsguidecordblood.org It’s an unbiased site that gives information on both public and private banking.

If there isn’t a hospital or facility near you, there are still opportunities to donate. You can work directly through a public bank. We can all give the gift of life!

Cryobanks International, Inc.

COLLECTS FOR: Research & Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: ANYWHERE!
INTERNET: www.cryo-intl.com
PHONE: 800-869-8608
STORAGE: Altamonte Springs, FL

“Cryobanks International is one of only two banks that accepts donations mailed in from anywhere. They started as a private cord blood bank, but their current business is primarily oriented towards accepting donations.”

LifebankUSA

COLLECTS FOR: Research & Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: ANYWHERE!
INTERNET: www.lifebankusa.com
PHONE: 1-877-LIFEBANKUSA (1-877-543-3226)
STORAGE: Cedar Knolls, NJ or Baton Rouge, LA

“LifebankUSA is the first cord blood bank to routinely bank the stem cells from the placenta, in addition to the umbilical cord blood. This is a separate process. They recommend collecting blood from the umbilical cord in utero, then the placenta is delivered and cells are extracted from the placenta.”

Thank you for this wonderful information www.parentsguidecordblood.org

Hope for Utah

I received an update email from Dr. Kelley “If you are delivering a Jordan Valley or the University it is possible. We will probably be up and running in St. Marks by then and maybe some IHC hospitals.” For those in the Salt Lake Valley you may have the opportunity to donate your Baby’s Cord Blood. Please take advantage of this as it will help so many people in both research and treatments. For those people who are interested in participating here is Dr. Kelley’s contact information.

Linda L. Kelley, PhD

Associate Professor Medicine

Director, Cell Therapy Facility

675 Arapeen Drive, Suite 300

Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Phone: 801-585-6262

Fax: 801-585-3222

For myself I hope that one of the IHC Hospitals is the one I am delivering at. So maybe the dream isn’t over.

I may have reached a dead end

I received a couple of responses to my emails. From Steve at Q Therapeutics who was very kind to look into programs in Utah and was only able to find one run by Dr. Kelley. She replied to inform him “Not an option right now. Only University Hospital Program will be expanding in the near future. Many thanks to her and others who recognize this as a useful thing to do.” I guess I am getting ahead of the game, in Utah at least.

If anyone has a more successful experience I would love to hear about it. Please email me at publicstemcellbanking@gmail.com

I will continue in my efforts to make this quest a reality and continue to post any useful information I can find.

My Quest

So I’ve decided that since I am pregnant, I have the opportunity to try to practice what I preach. I will be blogging about my experience in trying to donate my baby’s umbilical cord stem cells. So far I have gone to marrow.org where they have information on how to donate cord blood. The links I followed to be honest were not very helpful. I am from Utah and there is only one facility listed. The link it gives me only refers to California facilities. So I Googled the facility listed and found an email address. I am yet to hear from them. I have also made attempts to contact the hospital I will be delivering at, but I have thus far been unsuccessful. My next step will be to talk to my Doctor. So far I am off to a slow start and half way to delivery time. I hope I will be successful in this quest to help better the life of another.

Public Stem Cell Banks Do Exist

Umbilical cord stem cells have the ability to save lives. Most people can’t afford to bank their child’s stem cells, and most won’t need to use them. I have wondered why there were no public banks where those who wished could donate their children’s umbilical stem cells. After much research I have found evidence that such banking systems do exist. This site is intended to make it easier for you to find out more about donating your child’s umbilical cord stem cells.