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According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of a Mother is: a female parent. 1 Now we all know that mothers are more than simply ‘female parents’. They are nurturers, leaders, role models, and the best hug-givers in the world! Perhaps the definition in print is so brief because there are so many, or rather too many, ways to define what a Mother is.
To honor Mother’s Day this year we thought it would be fun to flip the tables. Instead of asking others what mom means to them, we’ve asked moms to tell us what their role of mother means to them. And who better to ask than our very own ViaCord employees who are mothers, of course! Let’s see what they had to say:
Navigate the cord blood stem cell world with this glossary of terms
Understanding all the words that are a part of the cord blood stem cell world can be challenging. Sometimes, it can feel like you need a medical dictionary with you when trying to read an article or have a conversation on the topic. While we normally try to define terms within our blogs, we’re creating a one-stop-blog for most of your cord blood stem cell terminology needs. We hope you find it helpful as you explore other places for information on these valuable stem cells.
Breaking down the most common terms
Cord blood: Umbilical cord blood, or cord blood, is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord after a baby is born. Cord blood contains a variety of cells including red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and is also rich in hematopoietic stem cells. Read more about cord blood here >>
Cord blood gets a lot of attention for its enormous potential. While that’s understandable – researchers are continually pursuing potential new medical applications using cord blood stem cells to treat everything from diabetes to cerebral palsy – it’s important to remember that these cells are also saving lives today, as a proven therapy for dozens of diseases and disorders.
One of these is Fanconi anemia, an inherited blood disorder that interferes with the body’s ability to make blood cells.
More specifically, Fanconi anemia stops the body’s bone marrow from making enough blood cells and can also cause it to make defective cells. Since blood cells perform some of the body’s most important functions – like carrying oxygen, fixing injuries and fighting infections – this can cause severe health problems.
Most families see cord blood banking as a valuable opportunity – a chance to preserve stem cells that, if one of their children falls ill in the future, might provide a lifesaving treatment option. Andres and Paulina Treviño are a startling exception: when they banked their daughter Sofia’s cord blood with Viacord, they already planned to use her stem cells to treat and potentially help save her brother Andy from a life-threatening immune disorder.
Rewind five years to when, after Andy was born in Mexico City, a barrage of infections kept him hospitalized for most of his first 16 months. When Andy’s doctors couldn’t understand why, they advised Andres and Paulina to find specialized care. Coincidentally, one of the Treviños’ neighbors had a cousin who worked at Children’s Hospital Boston. They learned the hospital is a a world leader in helping families overcome even the most complicated immune disorders. So they packed their bags and carried Andy thousands of miles away.
For more than 15 years, ViaCord has been proud to provide families the option to privately store their newborn’s umbilical cord blood for potential use in a medical treatment. Over the years we’ve seen many families in need of a stem cell treatment turn to the cord blood stem cells they’ve banked with us. At the beginning of 2011, ViaCord released its 200th cord blood unit to help treat a child with cerebral palsy. This milestone gave us a chance to reflect on the advancements cord blood stem cells have made in medical applications over the past two decades – from being used to treat just one disease twenty years ago, to nearly 80 today; as well as being studied by scientists in the area of regenerative medicine. It also made us think of the faces, the hearts and the family stories behind the 200 number.
Let’s take a look back at some of the heartwarming ViaCord family stories from 2011…
For many, the Thanksgiving season is an opportunity to take some time and reflect, give thanks and express gratitude. This year we asked our very own ViaCord employees to tell us the things they’re grateful for this year. Here’s what they said:
“This year more than ever, I’m thankful for the strength, love and support of my wife, Janaelle, who is the reason I got through my stem cell transplant last year—better and stronger than ever!!”
- Brian, ViaCord Clinical Consultant
“I am thankful for my 33 healthy nieces and nephews and for having a job that allows me to collaborate and affect positive change with so many intelligent, passionate and hard-working coworkers, making a difference for better future health for families.”
- Karen, Vice President Lab Operations and ViaCord Site Leader