Umbilical Cord Blood Donation
Today, the U.S. Senate begins debate on the controversial topic of embryonic stem cell research. This relates to a topic that is very close to my heart. Umbilical cord blood donation.
Umbilical cord blood is loaded with stem cells that would be incredibly useful in the research and treatment of serious diseases. It is obviously available through every birth that occurs. The procedure for extracting the umbilical cord blood is fast and easy. Yet there is little publicity about umbilical cord blood, and finding out how to donate is not easy.
Currently if a mother wants to donate umbilical cord blood, she generally has to find the resources herself. I was interesting in donating with both of my boys, but couldn't get information from my doctors, childbirth educators, or the hospital. I called the American Red Cross, and they had no information. I turned to the internet, and found a company out of Florida that would facilitate the whole process.
Cryobanks International sent me a packet of information, and a health questionnaire. I completed the forms and sent them back, at which time I received a call to clarify some information. Everything was fine, and they sent me a cord blood donation package. The package had complete instructions for the doctors on how to collect, package, and send the cord blood. Of course a sample of my blood was also sent, to rule out anything that would make the cord blood unusable.
It is encouraging that Congress recently passed a bill that would increase funding for umbilical cord blood donation. But more needs to be done. Why can't information about cord blood donation be given to every expectant mother? Why can't every OB and midwife be educated on the process? Why can't every hospital have procedures in place to collect cord blood?
I can't understand why there is not more done to encourage cord blood donation. While this source of stem cells is available NOW, and removes the controversies surrounding embryonic stem cell research, the focus remains on embryonic stem cells! Why such a focus on embryonic stem cells? Especially since the use of human embryos (or more specifically, the destruction of human embryos) is so controversial.
My question is this. Do those who participate in the stem cell debates really want to see stem cells quickly made available for research and treatment of serious diseases? Or would they rather continue the debate over embryonic stem cells? If it is the former, then let's get systems in place so that every expectant mother is educated and given the choice to donate cord blood. If it is the latter, since the major controversy is over the destruction of human embryos, I can't help but wonder if it is really just a veiled attempt to debate abortion.
Please moms. It really doesn't matter how you feel about embryonic stem cell research. You can help! Talk to your doctors. Talk to your hospitals. Talk to your friends. But most importantly, please find a way to donate your cord blood. If you can't find any other way, please contact Cryobanks International. They will make it easy for you!
Umbilical cord blood is loaded with stem cells that would be incredibly useful in the research and treatment of serious diseases. It is obviously available through every birth that occurs. The procedure for extracting the umbilical cord blood is fast and easy. Yet there is little publicity about umbilical cord blood, and finding out how to donate is not easy.
Currently if a mother wants to donate umbilical cord blood, she generally has to find the resources herself. I was interesting in donating with both of my boys, but couldn't get information from my doctors, childbirth educators, or the hospital. I called the American Red Cross, and they had no information. I turned to the internet, and found a company out of Florida that would facilitate the whole process.
Cryobanks International sent me a packet of information, and a health questionnaire. I completed the forms and sent them back, at which time I received a call to clarify some information. Everything was fine, and they sent me a cord blood donation package. The package had complete instructions for the doctors on how to collect, package, and send the cord blood. Of course a sample of my blood was also sent, to rule out anything that would make the cord blood unusable.
It is encouraging that Congress recently passed a bill that would increase funding for umbilical cord blood donation. But more needs to be done. Why can't information about cord blood donation be given to every expectant mother? Why can't every OB and midwife be educated on the process? Why can't every hospital have procedures in place to collect cord blood?
I can't understand why there is not more done to encourage cord blood donation. While this source of stem cells is available NOW, and removes the controversies surrounding embryonic stem cell research, the focus remains on embryonic stem cells! Why such a focus on embryonic stem cells? Especially since the use of human embryos (or more specifically, the destruction of human embryos) is so controversial.
My question is this. Do those who participate in the stem cell debates really want to see stem cells quickly made available for research and treatment of serious diseases? Or would they rather continue the debate over embryonic stem cells? If it is the former, then let's get systems in place so that every expectant mother is educated and given the choice to donate cord blood. If it is the latter, since the major controversy is over the destruction of human embryos, I can't help but wonder if it is really just a veiled attempt to debate abortion.
Please moms. It really doesn't matter how you feel about embryonic stem cell research. You can help! Talk to your doctors. Talk to your hospitals. Talk to your friends. But most importantly, please find a way to donate your cord blood. If you can't find any other way, please contact Cryobanks International. They will make it easy for you!
posted by Susan | 7:12 AM
1 Comments:
Interesting. I will look into this....
Lisa
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