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The Sibling Donor Cord Blood Program at Children's
Hospital Oakland was developed to serve families of patients with thalassemia
and sickle cell disease. The Center offers a variety of services, including:
What is cord blood stored and used for? Cord blood is a rich source of stem cells, the same cells found in bone marrow. Stem cells are the parent cells which create all of a person's blood cells: red cells that carry oxygen, white cells that fight disease, and platelets that help blood to clot. Stem cells can be used to treat several life-threatening diseases which affect the blood system. Diseases such as thalassemia, sickle cell anemia and childhood leukemia may require stem cell transplantation to replace damaged, destroyed or improperly-functioning blood cells. Transplanting these cells offers hope to many patients. Why should I save my infant's cord blood? Having cord blood collected gives the family a chance to store the cord blood for potential future use. This is an important consideration, especially since cord blood units may be used in the absence of a perfect tissue match (called a human leukocyte antigen or HLA match). Therefore, the use of cord blood can provide a unique opportunity for a particular child, especially when the child's sibling is not a complete match. Having cord blood collected from a family member does not mean that a decision has been made to proceed with transplantation. It simply gives the family a chance to store cord blood for potential use. Studies have also shown that there is a lower incidence of graft vs. host disease (GVHD) with cord blood transplants, probably due to the immaturity of the fetal cells. GVHD can range from moderate to severe in a transplant recipient, and can involve the skin, liver and/or gastrointestinal tract. <next> |
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