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It’s the season of giving, and embracing the holiday spirit can mean more than wrapping gifts and hectic shopping malls. Many people also choose to give to charities like the March of Dimes Foundation. The March of Dimes Foundation is dedicated to helping more moms have full-term and healthy pregnancies and researching the complications that threaten a baby’s health. It’s also an organization that’s very close to our hearts here at ViaCord.
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.
During pregnancy the umbilical cord is the ultimate lifeline between mother and infant—delivering all the nutrients, oxygen and blood the baby needs to thrive and grow. Today we know the umbilical cord provides so much more because of the potentially life-saving stem cells contained within. Cord blood stems cells have been proven to help treat nearly 80 life-threatening diseases; providing another sort of ‘lifeline’ long after the cord is clamped and cut.
The matter of when the umbilical cord should be clamped is one that expectant parents may consider. Some medical professionals clamp and cut the umbilical cord soon after the baby is delivered and others might wait several minutes before separating the child from the cord. Both parents and medical professionals interested in saving the cord blood stem cells often contact us to ask whether either decision could affect the ability to collect the cord blood.
One of the busiest weeks of the year is upon us and it’s no secret that getting caught up in the frenzy of the Thanksgiving holiday is easy to do – traveling with family, playing host to a houseful of guests, searching for that perfect stuffing recipe! In light of the whirlwind feeling this Thursday can bring, admittedly it’s nice to have one day dedicated to giving thanks to the things in your world that help bring happiness and fulfillment to it.
With that in mind, we thought we’d get a jump start today and share some of the things we’re thankful for at ViaCord:
Forget the rocking chair and bridge club; today’s grandparents are more active than ever and are playing an increasingly important part in today’s family life. They represent more than the Sunday afternoon visit. Today, grandparents often provide regular childcare as well as emotional and financial support to their grandchildren and their families.
But even with today’s more engaged generation, some grandparents still feel they want to help out but don’t know how, as ViaCord’s communications expert and best-selling author, Laurie Puhn, points out in her ExpectingWords.com blog. One way ViaCord is seeing grandparents get involved is by helping mom and dad with the decision to bank their baby’s cord blood. Not too surprising seeing as today’s grands are acutely aware of the importance of good health and the significant advancements being made in medicine today.
When exploring the option of cord blood banking, it’s natural to have questions. Often people don’t hear about cord blood banking until they’re expecting a baby, and it’s important to be well informed before making a decision that’s right for your family. That’s why at ViaCord we want you to know that every question is a good question. The more answers you have, the better informed you’ll be. Here are just a few we often hear from expectant parents. We hope you’ll find them helpful!
1. Will my doctor know how to collect cord blood?
Cord blood collection is a common procedure that most doctors are familiar with. To ensure the collection process goes as smoothly as possible for both you and the delivering doctor, ViaCord provides step-by-step instructions within the cord blood collection kit. In addition, prior to delivery, we’ll notify the doctor in a letter letting him/her know that you’ve chosen to