22 December 2007

An easy gift

Many of my readers seem to be pregnant, so I thought this would be a good time for a public service announcement.

Please consider donating your cord blood if you aren't going to bank it. It could save a life and, other than getting a cute healthy baby, what could be better?

Here's the FAQs on donating.

A little story from marrow.org:
Diego was just a toddler when Georgette learned he had acute lymphocytic leukemia. When he was first diagnosed, Diego did not respond to standard chemotherapy. He needed a transplant.

No one in his family was a suitable match and Diego’s Hispanic heritage made locating an unrelated match challenging. His doctors searched the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry, looking at both bone marrow donors and cord blood units. When Diego’s leukemia relapsed, he needed a transplant right away. Because a matching cord blood unit was available, he was able to receive a transplant quickly.

That was in August 2003. Today Diego is a happy, energetic young boy, thanks to the lifeline of donated cord blood.

5 comments:

Julie Marsh said...

Thanks Suebob. My hospital doesn't collect, but there's a local lab - perhaps I can work through them. And I'll ask my OB too.

Good reminder.

Anonymous said...

Cord blood!? I've never even heard of that!

I JUST read Kristen's story about her stretched out vagina and then I come over here to see the words "cord blood".

I love my beagle. Love her.

LittlePea said...

Oh I never heard of that. I'll definitely remember that when it's my turn.

Anonymous said...

No where near me collects...........that's sad, it would be so much nicer if this were a more widely known-about issue.

Anonymous said...

I have an appointment tonight with the RN on the maternity floor of my hospital. I'll be asking about cord blood donation. It only makes sense, especially considering if it's not donated or banked, it's just thrown out with the biological waste. Really, that's a waste.

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