Cord blood banking or cord blood donation?

[Anonymous]

Hello,

We're trying to decide on cord blood banking or donation...it looks like the literature is saying that if you have no history of family diseases you should probably donate, but I was just wondering if all of you had any thoughts about this.

Also, does anyone know if Fair Oaks participates in public cord blood donation? I didn't see it listed as a hospital that does cord blood donations...

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I think it's a personal decision. We have decided to donate our baby's cord blood. The hospital where we're planning to deliver is not listed, either, but they will pick up at any hospital (with some restrictions). If you go to http://www.cryo-intl.com/options/ there is information there that will tell you about the collection process for donating and a form to download if you decide to proceed with donation. I just feel that maybe the blood will be useful for someone else, and the likelihood of our family needing it is so small that it's not worth the storage fees to privately bank it.

[Anonymous]

I asked a friend who runs a cancer research center about the usefulness of banking cord blood. He said that right now, there are very few uses for cord blood. He also said there are no studies on how long that blood lasts, or how much might be needed for an older child/adult if there is a use for it (the amount from the cord might not be enough).

All to say, unless you have a family history of something, it seems unnecessary. Many people feel that it is money worth spending, but we chose the donation route.

[Anonymous]

We chose to donate, too. My research was consistent with the previous two posters. We felt it may be more useful to someone who needs it now and also felt that donation was a way to promote a larger supply and potentially more life-saving cures.

[Anonymous]

We just banked with CBR...yes, it's expensive, but in our opinion it's a once-in-a-lifetime shot. Who knows what the future holds for medical advances. We have a family of biomedical engineers and they all felt strongly about doing it. My advice is that, if you can afford it, why not do it!

[Anonymous]

My father is being treated for acute myeloid leukemia, and I have spoken with six different oncologists/hemotologists (including one highly respected pediatric oncologist/hematologist in the Philly area) about whether we should bank our baby's cord blood--either for my father, or for my baby--since we now have a family history (plus history of other cancers). For my father, not worth it (it's significantly likelier that his sister or an unrelated donor will be a usable stem cell match). For the baby, I was unanimously told not to bother banking the blood, but to donate it instead. Although there are great strides being made in research, doctors just aren't there yet in terms of being able to use the cells for your own child. One doc said that if the baby is going to develop a blood disease, then the cord blood isn't going to be a good replacement (b/c the defects are inherent in the cord blood), but the other docs did not necessarily agree with that statement. However, they all said the blood won't be useable after 3-5 years. However, they did say that the donated cord blood could be used in a stem cell transplant today if it's a match to someone else, or for research so that eventually banking will become something more realistic. So, you could save someone else's life by donating.

No judgment here if you decide to bank--just reporting back what the docs told our family.

[Anonymous]

www.cbr-coupon.com

If do decide to bank, at least use the coupon M9999 to save yourslef $250.

[Anonymous]

We banked with Cord Blood Registry as well. You can save $$$ with the Coupon Code M1971, or go to www.eNonProfits.org/cbr.html to print the coupon for a friend!!!

[Anonymous]

I delivered at Reston Hosp in Nov 2007 and they didn't take donations. I was told only Fairfax Hosp is set up for it. I had no idea an organization would pick it up from another hospital, thanks for the info! I figure I may as well donate it, who knows what will come of it and otherwise it just gets thrown away.

[Anonymous]

up

[Anonymous]

I delivered at Alexandria Inova in 2008 and the hospital didn't take donations...

BUT

there is a private company that does accept donations, and this is what we used to donate it.

Check it out:

http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Donate_Cord_Blood_Share_Life/How_to_Donate_Cord_Blood/CB_Participating_Hospitals/nmdp_cord_blood_hospitals.pl

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My father is being treated for acute myeloid leukemia, and I have spoken with six different oncologists/hemotologists (including one highly respected pediatric oncologist/hematologist in the Philly area) about whether we should bank our baby's cord blood--either for my father, or for my baby--since we now have a family history (plus history of other cancers). For my father, not worth it (it's significantly likelier that his sister or an unrelated donor will be a usable stem cell match). For the baby, I was unanimously told not to bother banking the blood, but to donate it instead. Although there are great strides being made in research, doctors just aren't there yet in terms of being able to use the cells for your own child. One doc said that if the baby is going to develop a blood disease, then the cord blood isn't going to be a good replacement (b/c the defects are inherent in the cord blood), but the other docs did not necessarily agree with that statement. However, they all said the blood won't be useable after 3-5 years. However, they did say that the donated cord blood could be used in a stem cell transplant today if it's a match to someone else, or for research so that eventually banking will become something more realistic. So, you could save someone else's life by donating.

No judgment here if you decide to bank--just reporting back what the docs told our family.

Yes, we heard this from a friend of ours who is a well known pediatrican (as in known by other drs. and not just a named frequently on this site!). He added that there are different methods for storing blood and that some of these methods would make the blood unusable for some medical conditions. In his work with very sick children where he uses stem cells and bone marrow donations, he has never used stored cord blood from a private bank. In the one case where they were exploring this as an option, the sample was compromised/contaminated and was unusable. I finally asked him what he did for his kids (the ultimate test) and he said that he did not store it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's a personal decision. We have decided to donate our baby's cord blood. The hospital where we're planning to deliver is not listed, either, but they will pick up at any hospital (with some restrictions). If you go to http://www.cryo-intl.com/options/ there is information there that will tell you about the collection process for donating and a form to download if you decide to proceed with donation. I just feel that maybe the blood will be useful for someone else, and the likelihood of our family needing it is so small that it's not worth the storage fees to privately bank it.

We donated (for the same reasons) through this same company at Sibley Hospital in DC. They sent a big package to me ahead of time and I just took it to the hospital with me when I went to give birth. A courier came right to Sibley to pick it up - no work or stress on my end!

[Anonymous]

I was also referred to Cryobanks through marrow.org to donate our cord blood. Being of mixed ancestry, I know there are people out there who desperately need the rare combination of stem cells we have to offer right now.

Of course, Cryobanks will warn you that your doctor may charge you for collecting the sample, but my OB volunteered her services at no charge. You also need to complete some detailed paperwork about your family medical history as well as that of your spouse well before you deliver so you'll need to plan ahead if you choose to donate.

I plan to donate #2's cord blood as well.

[Anonymous]

16:54 here again.

I also delivered at Sibley and they do not participate in the donation program so a courier was sent by Cryobanks to pick up my cord blood which was then sent to their facility in Florida.