Umbilical cord blood donations can help treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases
In recognition of National Cord Blood Awareness Month this July, LifeSouth Community Blood Centers is encouraging expectant mothers to consider donating their baby's umbilical cord blood. It is a simple, safe decision that can provide lifesaving stem cells to patients battling blood cancers, sickle cell disease, immune deficiencies and dozens of other serious illnesses.
"Every cord blood donation represents hope for a patient waiting for a lifesaving stem cell transplant," said Luis Hernandez, director of Cellular Therapies for LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. "For mothers, it's an extraordinary opportunity to give life twice, first by welcoming a new baby into the world and then by helping save the life of someone they may never meet."
Umbilical cord blood, which is typically discarded after birth, is rich in blood-forming stem cells used in transplants to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases and disorders, including leukemia, lymphoma and certain genetic, immune and metabolic disorders. More than 40,000 patients worldwide have received cord blood transplants since the first successful transplant was performed in 1988.
Unlike bone marrow donation, cord blood donation is painless and takes place after the baby is delivered and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The collection does not interfere with labor, delivery or the care of either the mother or newborn.
"As a maternal-fetal medicine physician, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we can improve outcomes not just for the pregnancy, but for patients beyond the delivery room," said Dr. Niamh Condon, maternal-fetal medicine physician at UF Health. "Families should know that donating cord blood is safe, does not affect the care of their baby and offers a simple way to make a life-changing difference for someone facing a serious disease."
Cord blood is especially valuable because it can provide stem cell transplant options for patients who may struggle to find a compatible bone marrow donor, particularly individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Once donated, eligible cord blood units are processed and stored at LifeSouth's FDA-licensed, FACT-accredited public Cord Blood Bank and listed with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), making them available to patients around the world who are searching for a match.
LifeSouth partners with hospitals across Florida, Alabama and Georgia to provide mothers with the opportunity to donate. In Northeast Florida, participating hospitals include:
? UF Health Shands Hospital
? UF Health Jacksonville
? UF Health North
? HCA Florida North Florida Hospital
? Baptist Medical Center South
Expectant parents interested in donating should discuss cord blood donation with their healthcare provider before delivery and determine whether their delivery hospital participates in the LifeSouth Cord Blood Program.
Since establishing its public cord blood bank in 1998, LifeSouth has become a national leader in cord blood banking. The organization was the first public cord blood bank in the Southeast and one of the first in the nation to receive FDA licensure for a transfusable cord blood product. Through its public cord blood bank, LifeSouth continues to help expand access to lifesaving stem cell transplants while increasing the diversity of available donor units.
To learn more about cord blood donation or to find a participating hospital, visit www.lifesouth.org/cord-blood-bank.
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About LifeSouth Community Blood Centers:
LifeSouth is a non-profit community blood bank serving more than 200 hospitals in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee. LifeSouth is committed to meeting the blood supply needs of hospitals and their patients by providing the highest quality blood components and services. The LifeSouth team is dedicated to making sure the blood is there when a patient is in need. To learn more, visit LifeSouth.org. For more resources and information about blood donation, visit donatingblood.org.