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Cord Blood in Action: The Pages Share Their Heartwarming Story
Monday, July 18th, 2011
Like many expecting parents, Ben and Jamie Page debated the pros and cons associated with cord blood banking. After much discussion, they ultimately decided to save Harlow’s cord blood with ViaCord “just in case”. According to Jamie, “we did it not thinking we would need it just a few months later.” When Harlow was just four months old doctors discovered a “grapefruit sized mass in her stomach” and “nobody could agree” on what kind of cancer it was. As treatment options were discussed the Pages wondered if the stem cells from her cord blood could be used to treat their daughter’s aggressive cancer.
In an interview with MommyCast’s Gretchen Vogelzang, the Pages discuss this “heartwarming story with a great ending,” that reminds us what a valuable resource cord blood stem cells can be. As Gretchen says, “the best form of
Categories: Current Treatments, Family Matters, Transplants and Infusions
Are You a Survivor? June 5th Is National Cancer Survivors Day
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
Millions of people have a story to tell—they have lived a fulfilling life after being diagnosed with cancer. National Cancer Survivors Day on June 5th is dedicated to giving these courageous survivors a voice to help inspire and give hope to others who may be facing the same challenges. National Cancer Survivors Day also celebrates the medical professionals who have helped advance the technologies we have to fight this complex disease. Where once there were no treatment options, there are now different ways to provide therapy—including cord blood stem cells transplants.
Celebrating progress
With the media’s focus usually on ongoing stem cell research, it’s easy to lose sight of the progress that has already been made. Nearly 80 diseases are currently treatable with cord blood stem cells, including certain types of cancers. To date, almost 40 of the 210 units ViaCord has released have gone to cancer treatments.
In fact, you may have seen a story in the news recently and on our blog about a little girl named Harlow who developed a grapefruit-sized tumor at just a few months old. Following treatment that included…
Categories: Current Treatments, Transplants and Infusions
Cord Blood in Action – Baby Harlow’s Story
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Parental instinct is a powerful thing. Parents have an eye for ear infections and know the something-is-just-not-right signs of an impending cold or flu. For Jamie and her husband, Ben, they knew something was wrong when their daughter, Harlow, started crying more than usual just 2 weeks after she was born. Doctors said it was likely colic and suggested new formulas and different sleeping strategies, but Harlow wasn’t getting better. At 3 months old, her stomach swelled, and she stopped having wet diapers.
Putting a name to the problem
After a trip to the emergency room and several tests, Jamie and Ben got some startling news: a grapefruit-sized, cancerous tumor was blocking Harlow’s kidney. To make matters worse, pathologists couldn’t identify just what type of cancer it was. Finally, a team of pediatric oncologists operating out of Chicago concluded that Harlow’s cancer most resembled a rare type of brain cancer, and should be treated as such.
Unsure of a prognosis for Harlow, doctors did determine chemotherapy was the best protocol for treatment. Although Jaime and Ben feared watching their daughter suffer the painful…
Categories: Current Treatments, Family Matters, Transplants and Infusions
Cord Blood Treatments Today – Thalassemia Major
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
When we think of cord blood, we often think of its potential to be used in medical treatments that are still being developed. And that potential is enormous. But it’s important to remember that cord blood already plays a critical role in treating—and in some cases curing—dozens of serious diseases and disorders.
One of these diseases is beta thalassemia major, also known as Cooley’s anemia. Beta thalassemia major is an inherited blood disorder that occurs when the genes governing the production of hemoglobin—the protein in red blood cells that binds to oxygen and carries it throughout the body—are flawed.
More specifically, hemoglobin contains two proteins, an alpha protein and a beta protein. In people afflicted with beta thalassemia major, the hemoglobin doesn’t contain enough of the beta protein, which means the red blood cells can’t carry sufficient oxygen from the lungs to the body’s cells and tissues.
Categories: Cord Blood 101, Current Treatments, Transplants and Infusions
One More Reason Why February 14th is a Celebration of Love
Monday, February 14th, 2011
It’s National Donor Day!
When we think of Valentine’s Day, we think of chocolates, flowers and teddy bears holding pillows that say “I love you.” But February 14th marks another special day and a new way to spread the love. National Donor Day focuses on encouraging people to donate bone marrow, organs, platelets and blood—all of which are needed to help tens of thousands of people in the United States. And what could be more loving than making a potentially life-saving donation, especially when the need for donors of all kinds is so great. Did you know:
- Today, over 105,000 people are waiting for an organ transplant 1
- Approximately 35,000 children and adults in our country have life-threatening blood diseases that could be treated by a marrow/blood stem cell or cord blood transplant. 2
- Every two seconds someone in America needs blood, more than 39,000 units each day. 3
Categories: Current Treatments
National Aplastic Anemia and MDS Awareness Week
Sunday, December 5th, 2010
Bone marrow failure disorders affect hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world, from children to adults. National Aplastic Anemia and MDS (myelodysplastic syndromes) Awareness Week (December 1-7) is helping to spread the word about two of these disorders. It is also an opportunity to shed light the role cord blood can play in helping to treating these potentially life-threatening diseases.
Why bone marrow matters
Bone marrow makes red and white blood cells and platelets that are vital to our existence. Each has a specific function—red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body; white blood cells help our bodies fight infection; and platelets help the blood clot and stop bleeding.
Categories: Current Treatments, Transplants and Infusions