Banking Umbilical Cord Blood?

[Ellen]

Those of you who are still having babies, are you considering banking the cord blood?


6 December 2005
CHRISTMAS GIFTS YOU HOPE YOU WON'T NEED
Kids get stem cell presents
By Lyndsay Moss
PARENTS and grandparents are buying babies the gift of life for Christmas.
They are paying out for the kids' vital umbilical cord stem cells to be stored through Christmas "gift certificates", a medical technology company say.
Stem cells are already used to treat types of leukaemia and anaemia but scientific advances mean they could soon be used to battle a range of potentially deadly conditions.
The cost of keeping the stem cells frozen in storage for 15 years, ready for use if the child becomes ill, is £1250.
Smart Cells International, one of a growing number of firms offering the service, say they have had more than 1000 inquiries and 50 purchases of gift certificates.
Boss Shamshad Ahmed said: "The people who have contacted us have clearly put great thought into how they can give something very different butverymeaningful"Stem cells may seem to be a bizarre gift but, in effect, they are a long-lasting insurance policy.



"If that child, or possibly a sibling, suffers injury or illness, then stem cells can be transplanted at any time in the following25years or more.

"The range of illnesses that may one day be treated includes heart disease, stroke, cancers, spinal cord injury and diabetes."

Dr Colin McGuckin, of Newcastle University, believes stem cells have huge potential.

But he warned: "We are still at an early stage of research and it is very expensive to store these cells.


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[lisalotsamom]

We had our 7th child in April, and considered banking his umbilical cord blood. Our 6th child, Tessa, is our one with diabetes, and was diagnosed just over 2 years ago. Unfortunately, it was really cost-prohibitive for our family to do this, so did not end up doing it. I wish it were more readily available, and less expensive!
I really believe that cord blood stem cells are a huge resource for the future of diabetes and other disease cures/treatments. Just wish we could have afforded it. Lisa

[MyrandaDawn]

I'm actually getting ready to have my 3rd child in January. I've already enrolled to get his/her cord blood banked with cryo-cell. Quite on the pricey side, but if something happens down the road, it'll be well worth it.

[Ivan's Mum]

We banked our second childs stem cells. I figured it's like insurance, you pay it and pray you'll never need it.

We got a lot of flack 2 years ago and I ended up having a big arguement with my husband about it all. In the end we asked family members to contribute as opposed to buying things for the baby. We got there in the end.

From my research they are not too far off being able to make them in a lab but I figured, if we need them, at least we're not going to have to wait on a list to get them.

At the moment, if there is a cure for diabetes, we can't use #2's stem cells without going to court as they belong legally to my 2 year old (and god forbid I use them and #2 gets something) but I view it as a sefety net.

It's a hard decision with the cost, but I must admit when Ivan was Dx'ed, I wondered if they'd be of any use.