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.