“Because of the overwhelmingly positive response to CBAI’s initial announcement, we pushed the last two weeks to launch early. It wouldn’t be fair for a parent to miss out on the program because of simple lag time. We have been able to button up all the details on the plan, which we believe will allow more people to take advantage of this important medical insurance policy,” said Matthew Schissler, Cord Blood America co-founder and CEO.

It will be the first cord blood bank facility in India which shall be used both for public and family donor purposes, an official statement said.

The stem cell bank is a tri-partite venture between StemCyte India Therapeutics, Apollo and Indravadan Modi led Cadilla Pharma, it said.

“The company plans to build an inventory of 25,000 ethnically diverse units here to help treat critically ill patients in India and abroad and we will also facilitate stem cell transplantation through Apollo,” President StemCyte Therapeutics Tushar Dalal said.

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Bonfils Cord Blood Services Belle Bonfils Memorial Blood Center
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM:
INTERNET: www.bonfils.org
PHONE:
STORAGE: Denver, CO

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Brady Kohn Foundation
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants or a family bank
COLLECTS FROM: Christiana Hospital in Delaware
INTERNET: theBradyKohnFoundation.org
PHONE: 302-765-2875
STORAGE: New Jersey Cord Blood Bank in Paramus, NJ.

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP

Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Cord Blood Donation Program
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston
INTERNET:
www.brighamandwomens.org/womenshealth/corddonor/
PHONE: 800-875-3324
STORAGE: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

Carolinas Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Several hospitals in North Carolina
INTERNET: www.cancer.duke.edu/ccbb
PHONE: (919) 668-1116
STORAGE: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Children’s Hospital of Orange County Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, CA.
INTERNET: www.choc.org/services
PHONE: (714) 516-4335
STORAGE: Orange, CA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

CORD:USE
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants & Research
COLLECTS FROM: Florida, Michigan, and North Carolina
INTERNET: www.corduse.com
PHONE: 407-667-4844
OFFICE: Lake Mary, Florida
STORAGE: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

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

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP, BMDW, CRIR

Dan Berger Cord Blood Program
at Magee-Womens Hospital of Univ. of Pittsburgh Medical Center
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants, Research, family banks
COLLECTS FROM: 7 hospitals in Pennsylvania
INTERNET: DanBergerCordBlood.com or this link at UPMC
PHONE: 412-209-7479 or 412-327-6025
STORAGE: ITxM in Chicago, Illinois

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP

Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program at Community Blood Services
This program is now listed under New Jersey Cord Blood Bank.

FamilyCord
COLLECTS FOR: Family
COLLECTS FROM: Anywhere, but for a fee
INTERNET: www.familycord.com
PHONE: 800-490-CORD (2673)
STORAGE: Los Angeles, CA

Gift of Life
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Brooklyn, NY
INTERNET: www.giftoflife.org or www.jcord.org
PHONE: 1-800-9MARROW
STORAGE: University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, CRIR, NMDP

Hawaii Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Hospitals on the Island of Oahu
INTERNET: www.hcbb.org
PHONE: 808-983-BANK or Email info@hcbb.org
STORAGE: Seattle, WA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Indiana Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants and Research
COLLECTS FROM: Clarian Health Network (Transplants), other Indiana Hospitals (Research only at this time)
INTERNET: www.midwestcordbloodbank.org
PHONE: 800-804-6703
STORAGE: General BioTechnology, Indianapolis, IN

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW

Ireland Cancer Center at Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland Umbilical Cord Blood Program
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM:
INTERNET:
PHONE: (216) 844-4723
STORAGE: Cleveland, OH

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW

ITxM: The Institute For Transfusion Medicine Cord Blood Services
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 36 hospitals in Illinois and 4 in Pennsylvania
INTERNET: www.givcord.org
PHONE: 877-448-2673
STORAGE: Glenview, IL

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

J.P. McCarthy Cord Stem Cell Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 5 hospitals near Detroit
INTERNET: www.karmanos.org/cordblood
PHONE: 800-KARMANOS
STORAGE: Detroit, MI

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Kehila Cord
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Brooklyn, NY
INTERNET: [no website]
PHONE: 718-384-2332
STORAGE: Community Blood Services, Allendale, NJ

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

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

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: CRIR

LifeCord
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Selected hospitals in north Florida and south Alabama
INTERNET: www.lifesouth.org –> click on the “Donate” button, then “Types of Donations”, etc.
PHONE: 888-795-2707 or 352-224-1737
STORAGE: Shands Hospital at Univ of Florida, Gainesville, FL

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

M. D. Anderson Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Selected hospitals in Houston, Texas
INTERNET: www2.mdanderson.org/app/cbb/
PHONE: 1-800-392-1611, Option #1
STORAGE: M. D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW

Michigan Community Blood Centers Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 15 hospitals throughout Michigan
INTERNET: www.miblood.org/giving_blood/cordblood.html
PHONE: 1-866-642-5663 (ie: 866-MIBLOOD, option #2) or 616-233-8604
STORAGE: Grand Rapids, MI

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, CRIR

New Jersey Cord Blood Bank (NJCBB)
at Community Blood Services
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 25 hospitals in New Jersey, 16 hospitals in New York, 1 hospital in Delaware.
INTERNET: www.communitybloodservices.org/cordblood.php
PHONE: 866-SAVCORD
STORAGE: Allendale, NJ

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

NY Blood Center
National Cord Blood Program
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 3 hospitals in New York, 1 each in Virginia & Ohio
INTERNET: www.NationalCordBloodProgram.org
PHONE: 866-767-NCBP (6227)
STORAGE: New York City, NY

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW

Oregon Cord Blood Donation Program
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: OHSU Hospital in Portland
INTERNET: www.ohsu.edu/health/cordblood
PHONE: 503-494-6122 or cord@ohsu.edu
STORAGE: Seattle, WA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP

Puget Sound Blood Center
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: Puget Sound area
INTERNET: www.psbc.org/cordblood or Email cordblood@psbc.org
PHONE: 206-292-1896
STORAGE: Seattle, WA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

Rhode Island Blood Center
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 25 hospitals in New Jersey, 16 hospitals in New York, 1 hospital in Delaware.
INTERNET:
PHONE: 866-SAVCORD
STORAGE: Community Blood Services Allendale, NJ

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP

SaneronCCEL
COLLECTS FOR: Research only
COLLECTS FROM:
INTERNET: www.saneron-ccel.com
PHONE: 813-977-7664
STORAGE: Tampa, FL

Sibling Donor Cord Blood Program at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants for Siblings
COLLECTS FROM: anywhere in the USA
INTERNET: see the federal Related Donor Cord Blood Program
PHONE: 510-450-7605
STORAGE: Oakland, CA

St. Louis Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM:
INTERNET: www.slcbb.org
PHONE: 888-453-2673 or 314-268-2787
STORAGE: St. Louis, MO

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP

StemCyte
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants & Research
COLLECTS FROM: California, Georgia, Michigan, Utah, and Taiwan
INTERNET: www.stemcyte.com
PHONE: 866-STEMCYTE
STORAGE: Covina, CA

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: BMDW, NMDP, CRIR

Texas Cord Blood Bank
at South Texas Blood and Tissue Center
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM:
INTERNET: www.bloodntissue.org/texascordbloodbank.asp
PHONE: (800) 292-5534 (Option
STORAGE: San Antonio, Texas

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES: NMDP

University of Arizona Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Research only
COLLECTS FROM: University of Arizona Medical Center
INTERNET: No Website
PHONE: 520-626-5125
STORAGE: Tucson, AZ

University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Transplants
COLLECTS FROM: 3 hospitals in Fort Collins and Denver
INTERNET: www.coloradocord.org
PHONE: (303) 724-1306
STORAGE: Aurora, CO

TRANSPLANT REGISTRIES:

University of Iowa’s Hematopoietic Stem Cell Bank
COLLECTS FOR: Research only
COLLECTS FROM: University of Iowa birthing center
INTERNET: www.medicine.uiowa.edu/Programs/CordBlood/
PHONE: 319-356-7875 or Email cord-blood@uiowa.edu
STORAGE: Iowa City, IA

Demand for the chance to donate cord blood was increasing among Boston women, said Dr. Robert Barbieri, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women’s and co-coordinator of the program. Barbieri said he received several calls each month from women asking where they could donate.

“It’s a great way to use a biological resource to give people hope for the future,’’ said Barbieri. “It’s a gift of life.’’

The Hospital says that umbilical cord blood has a plethora of cells that make blood which can be used to treat such illnesses as leukemia and lymphoma as an alternative to waiting for a bone marrow transplant, which could take years or never come at all.

Midland Memorial Hospital is now the 12th to join the Texas Cord Blood Bank, which collects and stores cord blood.

The great thing about storing blood through the hospital is that its completely free to donate your baby’s stem cells where other storage facilities charge a lot of money to extract and store the cord blood.

If the bill becomes law, the state Department of Health and Human Services would place documents on its Web site that would help a pregnant woman decide whether to donate her baby’s cord blood to a public bank or have it stored in case her child or another family member will need it. The information would be put in a format that can be easily printed and distributed to expectant mothers.

Umbilical cord blood has stem cells, which can be converted to a number of important medical uses. According to representatives from the Cord Blood Bank at Duke University, the cells can be transplanted into the bone marrow of some medical patients, such as cancer patients. The Carolinas Cord Blood Bank is a public cord blood bank, making its supplies available to patients nationwide.

Controversy has risen in the recent years as to whether donors should go for public cord blood banks or the private ones. There are several factors which contribute to these sentiments. Some physicians do not recommend donors choose private banks because many of these banks are not standardized.  The American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) points the fact that private cord blood banks are beneficial only for those parents whose relative needs a current transplant, but benefit no one else. Private storage is recommended for a family that has a medical history of metabolic disorder. Alternatively the AAP suggests that parents donate to public cord blood banks where cord blood can be made available to many people for treating various diseases. One of the primary reasons for such recommendations is that around ten thousand people are diagnosed with diseases each year and only public cord blood banks provide cord blood globally to any patient who need be treated with cell transplant. Private cord blood banks will provide cord blood only to donors (for their use or their families) who store cord blood for a fee.

Another major reason for physicians not encouraging private cord blood banks is because of the marketing and advertising strategies used by some of these banks. The private banks target every expectant couple and convince them that they are potentially providing a life saving opportunity to their families. This sort of emotional reasoning has worked in many parents to go in for private banks which stores cord blood exclusively for the donor’s use. Even doctors who are convinced by the stem- cell advances encourage parents (who can afford to pay that money) to opt for private banks so that cord blood can be used to save their child’s future or another family member. But there is no correct numbers to quote about the risk of a child needing stem- cell in the future. The APC and ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) studies reveal that numbers would fall anywhere between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 200000, whereas some the private banks have advertised numbers as low as 1 in 2700.

As private cord blood banking is expensive, parents should research which one is best suited for their family’s needs. Some things they should check before going with private cord blood banks are whether the bank is accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks, the number of cord blood units it stores, and the number of successful transplants it has conducted with the stored samples and the way it is stored (whether in single unit or small units).

Through the use of marketing tools such as flyers, direct mailings, and parenting magazines, most parents usually find themselves in fix as they diligently do their homework. Though public cord blood banking is free, the advantage of securing their child’s cord blood in a private bank for their child’s future seems imperative for many parents. It is perceived as being as essential to a child’s future security as life insurance. At that juncture cost may not be considered as a major issue especially for parents who can afford it. Parents reason it as a good investment for their child in case they may need it in the future.

But this is not the case for all the parents. The cost of opting for private banks is quite high at around 1000 to 2000 dollars. Even for parents who can afford it, they are advised that their money be used for some other purpose such as starting a college fund for their children. The subject of cord blood banking has been controversial in the recent years; one such reason being the reliability of the cord blood stored in private banks.

Though donation of child’s cord blood to a public cord blood bank is highly recommended, parents don’t easily opt for it for one reason that number of public cord blood banks that allow cord blood donations are not widely available. Secondly, parents hold unwarranted fears if their child or a family member would get cord blood at their time of emergency or need.

A brief look into the pros and cons of both public and private banking will help the parents decide which is best suitable for them.

Whether the parents choose to opt for public or private cord blood bank, the main criteria is to make sure whether the cord blood unit meets the standards to be used in a cell transplant. Only those cord blood units that are free from infection and diseases and have enough blood forming cells are fit for use in cell transplants.

Public Cord Blood Bank Storage

The public cord blood banks do not collect a fee and the bank covers all aspects of costs for processing, testing and storing.

The cord blood is made available to any patient who is in need of stem cell transplant. The donor cannot preserve it for their family’s use.

The bank ensures strict standards to maintain the quality of the cord blood unit. In case of any decrease in standards the cord blood is either discarded or sent for research purposes.

Private Cord Blood Bank Storage

The cord blood that is stored in private banks is preserved exclusively for the donor’s use (or for their family or relatives)

The fee for storing cord blood is high. The private banks collect fees for collecting, storing (annual or monthly) and processing.

There are lots of private cord blood banks throughout the country and many of them are accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks.

2. My child’s umbilical cord blood can potentially be used to treat:

A. My Child
B. My Child’s Siblings
C. Myself
D. All of the above

3. Current research on future stem cell applications includes:

A. Heart Disease and Stroke
B. Spinal Cord Injury
C. Diabetes
D. All of the above

4. Which of the following statements is/are true?

A. The survival rate is higher when stem cells are transplanted from a relative.
B. There is an increased chance of a match between your child’s cord blood and a sibling.
C. Your child’s stem cells can also be used for other family members.
D. All of the above

5. Why is cord blood valuable?

A. Because it contains red blood cells
B. Because it contains stem cells
C. Because it contains white blood cells
D. Because it contains platelets

6. Umbilical cord blood is collected:

A. During pregnancy
B. During birth
C. Immediately after your child is born and the cord is cut
D. 5 days after your child is born

7. Cord blood is collected from:

A. The umbilical cord
B. The umbilical cord and placenta
C. The umbilical cord and uterus
D. The umbilical cord and navel

8. Cord blood stem cells have the ability to regenerate:

A. Red Blood Cells
B. White Blood Cells
C. Platelets
D. All of the above

Answers:

1. D

Stem cells are involved in the curing of over 40 different life threatening diseases and illnesses. The ongoing research and development in stem cell research are leading to a direction where the applications of stem cells will continue to grow and expand rapidly to include many of the currently untreatable, but horribly devastating diseases and illnesses. Banking and donating your child’s cord blood now will help ensure that your family has this potential life-saving resource at your fingertips whenever you may need it.

2. D

Your child’s umbilical cord blood stem cells are a distinct match to your child, so any time your child needs them they will be available for immediate use. This eliminates the need for searching to find a matching donor and no chance of rejection or tissue incompatibility. Furthermore, by donating your child’s umbilical cord blood it can also be used for siblings and other members of your family who have matching tissue. Siblings have up to a 50% chance of compatibility, which is great odds.

3. D

There is fast development in the field of stem cell research. Stem cell research offers hope for many untreatable degenerative illnesses and diseases, including the repair of hair tissue or brain tissue to treat heart disease and strokes, spinal cord injury, arthritis, diabetes, Parkinson’s, and others. Cord blood banking, or donation of umbilical cord blood, allows your child to take full advantage of future emerging treatments as they become readily available.

4. D

Once banked, your child’s umbilical cord blood stem cells can provide insurance for your entire family, biologically. Since umbilical cord blood stem cells are at a more primitive stage than bone marrow, doctors are able to generate a wider variety of tissue types. Therefore, they regenerate faster and there is a decreased risk of rejection by the body and deadly complications such as Graft-versus-Host illness.

5. B

Umbilical Cord blood is valuable because it contains powerful things called haematopoeitic stem cells. Stem cells are referred to as “miracle cells” because they are master cells which have the unique ability to regenerate and replenish any cell in the blood. Cord blood stem cells are a proven alternative to bone marrow and can be used to treat illnesses.

6. C

Umbilical Cord blood is collected right away after your child is born and the umbilical cord is cut. Umbilical cord blood collection takes your doctor only a few minutes to perform and is 100% safe. It does not affect the childbirth experience in any way.

7. B

Umbilical Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after the child is born and the umbilical cord is cut. The umbilical cord blood is normally discarded after birth. By choosing to save your child’s cord blood, you are offering your child a distinct health advantage for the future years of its’ life.

8. D

Umbilical Cord blood stem cells can regenerate in any cell in blood, including oxygen carrying red blood cells, infection fighting white blood cells, which play a crucial role in the body’s immune system (ability to fight disease), and platelets, which help to clot blood during cuts and bruises.

9. D

Studies have shown that cryogenically frozen stem cells hold their viability following fifteen years of storage. Extrapolation based upon a half-life mode suggests that stem cells can be cryo-preserved for the lifespan of a patient.

10. D

Your child’s own umbilical cord blood stem cells are a perfect match to your child, so any time your child needs them, they are available for immediate use and can save a life. There is no need to search for a matching donor and there is no chance of rejection or tissue incompatibility. Therefore, there is a reduced risk of infection and rejection. Umbilical cord blood stem cells are able to proliferate faster and generate a wider variety of tissue types!

The umbilical cord used to be thrown away when a baby was born.  But these days, blood from the umbilical cord can be collected after your baby’s birth and donated to a public cord blood bank to help someone with a life-threatening disease!

Donating is a simple thing to do. Receiving can be the gift of life.

If you were to choose to donate your child’s umbilical cord blood, your labor and delivery are not affected at all. No blood is taken from your baby or yourself, only from the umbilical cord itself once your baby is born.

Get information to help you make an informed decision

• Cord blood is changing lives today – Learn about how umbilical cord blood offers hope
• Options for cord blood – Understand your options for donation
• Cord blood donation FAQs – Find answers to your questions about umbilical cord blood donation

Learn how to donate your Umbilical Cord Blood

• How to donate cord blood – A step-by-step overview of the donation process, including your role, how cord blood is collected in the hospital and what happens at the public cord blood bank to your umbilical cord blood.
• Learn if you can donate – See medical eligibility guidelines for donation. Some people can and some can’t.
• Where to donate – Find out if your hospital works with a public cord blood bank and whether there is a public bank in your city

NMDP commitment to cord blood donation

For 20 years, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has matched people (donors) and patients to facilitate bone marrow transplants and help save lives. Today, the NMDP is dedicated to partnering with cord blood banks all around the world to build a strong network and inventory of high-quality cord blood units available to any patient who needs a transplant.

In 2006, the NMDP was selected by the U.S. federal government to operate the nation’s Cord Blood Coordinating Center. We are conducting a research study on cord blood transplantation and patient outcomes. (Learn more about our network of banks in the United States — listed in Where to Donate — as well as international cord blood registries.)