We’re excited to announce that the Newborn Possibilities pilot collection program at Tucson Medical Center has reached its first-year goal of collecting umbilical cord blood stem cells for 750 newborns.

The cord blood collection program was launched by Cord Blood Registry (CBR), Tucson Medical Center and two advocacy organizations based in Tucson, Watching Over Mothers & Babies Foundation and Save the Cord Foundation. The program collects and stores cord blood stem cells of children who are born at-risk for potential neurological damage or disability based upon predetermined criteria.  The service is conducted at no cost to the families who qualify.  Following collection, program managers contact families on a regular basis to track the children’s medical and developmental status.For example, 13 babies enrolled in the program showed some signs of problems with development at 6 months of age. These families may have the opportunity in the future to participate in medical research using their own cord blood stem cells.

Children who have access to their own cord blood may be eligible –and some are currently participating – in several FDA-regulated clinical trials. These trials evaluate the use of a child’s own cord blood stem cells for traumatic brain injury,cerebral palsy, and type 1 diabetes and are taking place at top research universities around the country such as the University of Texas, Georgia Health Sciences University—home of the Medical College of Georgia, University of Florida, and Duke University.

Click here to learn more about the Newborn Possibilities Program and to donate to the program’s non-profit Newborn Possibilities Fund which offers financial support to families who have a child enrolled in one of these clinical trials.