Making a Decision About Donating Cord Blood For FREE

One of the decisions that face many new parents today, is the decision on whether or not to save their child's cord blood.  Much is said about private cord blood banking and although most of us have a general idea of why we might want to save our child's cord blood, often times the bottom line comes down to finances and the $1400-$2500 upfront fee + storage costs.

After researching the use of cord blood and it's collection process, we did decide to bank our babies cord blood for my last child.  This is the process by which  for a fee, a private cord blood bank will collect, process, freeze, and store your baby's stem-cell-rich umbilical blood for your family's future medical use. You can find more information about cord blood storage and the diseases and conditions that cord blood may be used to treat at www.parentsguidecordblood.org

One option that I just became aware of that other's may not realize, is the option of donating the usually discarded cord blood. Let me just say:

 I WISH I KNEW ABOUT THIS OPTION WITH BABIES #1-4!  

At the time of the birth of my other babies, I had no idea that the discarded cord blood could be donated to a bank at no cost to myself and possibly used to help treat someone else.

When you donate to a public cord blood bank, the banking is free.  The stem cell rich cord blood becomes available to any patient who needs a stem cell transplant.  Potentially fatal deceases such as leukemia, sickle cell anemia, lymphomas, or an immune deficiency can sometimes be treated with a stem cell transplant.  It may help save a life.

If you chose to not bank your child's cord blood for your own families use, please consider dontating the cord blood.  To find out how and to learn if you can donate, check out www.bethematch.com