HOPE TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY LIFE-THREATENING BLOOD DISORDERS

Storing umbilical cord blood stem cells at birth could prove to be a life-saving investment for a child, or sibling, if they are diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disorder that is treatable by a stem cell transplant. Not everyone chooses to bank their baby’s cord blood stem cells. CryoSave South Africa, a private cord blood stem cell bank in Pretoria, has recognised the plight of families who have a child with a blood disorder that can be treated with a stem cell transplant. It provides hope to families affected by leukaemia, other forms of blood cancers, and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease, through its cost-free donation programme. It offers families affected by diseases that can be treated with blood stem cells the opportunity to store the cord blood stem cells of their expected newborn child to potentially treat a sibling who has been diagnosed with a blood disorder. To qualify for the cost-free donation programme, a sibling of the unborn child must have been diagnosed with a disease that’s currently treatable with umbilical cord blood stem cells (an FDA-approved indication for transplantation) and must be being treated by a medical specialist who agrees that the stem cells could be used for treatment. If eligible, CryoSave will enrol the family into the cost-free donation programme, provide the cord blood collection kit, and process and store (cryo-preserve) the newborn’s cord blood sample without any cost to the family. For more information on Cryo-Save or stem cell storage contact 087 8080 170 or info@cryo-save.co.za.