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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
It wasn’t too long ago that we answered some of your questions about cord blood banking. Now that ViaCord has introduced our new Complete Newborn Stem Cell Package™, which allows families to bank cord blood and cord tissue, the questions are coming in again and we wanted to do our best to answer them for you:
1. How is the umbilical cord tissue collected and does it hurt?
As with cord blood, the collection process is easy and painless. First, your baby’s umbilical cord is clamped and cut, and the cord blood is collected. Your health care professional will then collect as much of the umbilical cord tissue as possible and place it into the sterile, protective cup provided in your ViaCord collection kit.
2. Is the new collection kit bulky and hard to transport?
Nope! All our kits are designed to keep your baby’s cord blood and cord tissue safe, while also being easy to transport. Many moms pack it in their hospital overnight bag so it’s ready to go when they are!
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The different types of stem cells contained within cord blood are currently used to treat nearly 80 diseases. Scientists hope that with more research, this list will continue to grow. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are drawn from umbilical cord tissue, may be one key in the efforts to treat more diseases and disorders.
MSCs provide new hope to patients with debilitating diseases
Patients with liver fibrosis, lung cancer, Parkinson’s and other complex diseases have limited treatment options today, so opening new avenues for treatment is important. The unique ability MSCs have to repair damaged cartilage, muscle and tissue suggests their potential in medical applications. As a result, a significant amount of research is underway to better understand this potential. Below are findings from some of the pre-clinical studies using MSCs extracted from cord tissue:
Dads show their dedication in lots of ways, from driving passels of kids to the movies to teaching the fine art of tire changing and being a shoulder to lean on. So on his special day, don’t get caught without an idea or two to recognize all that he does. Dad’s selfless dedication to our lives deserves recognition. We compiled a few surefire ways to give Dad the Father’s Day he deserves.
1. Have a ball (or a puck or a racecar or a monster truck)
Whether it’s a baseball game or a monster truck rally, consider taking Dad to a fun event that he’ll remember. You can buy tickets to take him yourself, or gift him with a spare ticket and the opportunity to take one of his buddies.
2. Host a dudes-only day
You may want to take Dad and some of his friends to a local fishing hole or host a poker game—but leave the ladies out! There’s a reason for the saying “boys will be boys,” and Father’s Day can be the perfect day to…
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…
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…