The Stem Cell Source - Cord Blood and Beyond

Cord Blood Registry is Advancing Regenerative Medicine Research at Exciting Pace

PublicAffairs — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 00:24:00 GMT

Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®), the world’s largest newborn stem cell bank, is fueling innovation in newborn stem cell research. As CBR prepares to release its 250th cord blood unit for medical use this month, the newborn stem cell bank announces that 71% of all its units released for use have been for emerging applications in regenerative medicine, such as brain injury, autism and type 1 diabetes. The other 29% have been for traditional transplant use, such as leukemia and sickle cell disease. This rapid increase in the use of family banked units for regenerative medicine applications is a complete reversal from the figures just six years ago, where 25% of the units released were for regenerative medicine applications and 75% for traditional transplant use. More than 50% of all cord blood units released for use in emerging regenerative therapies by family banks have been processed and stored at CBR. CBR is the only family newborn stem cell bank to have established FDA-regulated trials and is connecting client families to more potential treatments. As the industry leader in this initiative, Cord Blood Registry continues to focus on advancing the clinical applications of newborn stem cells.

Over the past 20 years, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases and disorders including certain cancers, blood disorders, immune diseases, and metabolic disorders. Today, promising treatments are paving the way for further research. Current FDA-regulated clinical trials are exploring the use of a child's own cord blood stem cells in regenerative medicine for conditions that have no cure today. Most of these groundbreaking trials only use cord blood stem cells processed and stored by Cord Blood Registry for consistency and because of their commitment to quality.

"At an increased pace, CBR is providing families exclusive access to promising new potential treatment options through our focus on clinical trials," said Geoffrey Crouse, CEO of Cord Blood Registry. "We are proud to partner with researchers at the forefront of stem cell medicine."

Learn more about current clinical trials here.

Cord Blood Stem Cells Stored at No Cost to Families Provide Therapeutic Options

PublicAffairs — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:58:00 GMT

Thanks to the Newborn Possibilities Program® by Cord Blood Registry® (CBR®), families facing serious medical conditions with few options may have access to family cord blood stem cell banking services at no cost. This program enables access to genetically related newborn stem cells for future treatment. A group of families who participated in the Tucson Medical Center pilot of the Newborn Possibilities Program have participated in clinical trials using their own stem cells. One Tucson mom, Jessica Schaefer, had a difficult pregnancy with complications that qualified her for this program when she delivered her son, Logan. Logan’s cord blood stem cells were processed and stored in CBR’s state-of-the-art stem cell processing and storage facility at no cost and provided a therapeutic option for him.

“I am blown away that this program was available to me when I delivered Logan,” says Schaefer. “I am so grateful to CBR for the chance to have my son participate in the Medical College of Georgia’s clinical trial for cerebral palsy. We feel blessed to have the unique opportunity to possibly help Logan lead a happier life, while also helping to advance the science of stem cell therapies.”

The Newborn Possibilities Program is a corporate initiative from Cord Blood Registry designed to ensure that families with an identified medical need and babies born after high-risk deliveries have a free option to save cord blood stem cells in the event they may be used in future treatment and potentially provide access to clinical trials. Nearly 3,000 physicians have collected units for the Newborn Possibilities Program and CBR has stored nearly 5,000 units under the program since its inception.

“We created the Newborn Possibilities Program as a catalyst for medical researchers to advance clinical trials involving newborn stem cells,” says Geoffrey Crouse, chief executive officer of CBR. “At the same time, we help identify families with a diagnosed condition who might directly benefit from family banking through a transplant.”

Key Tips on How to Choose a Family Cord Blood Bank:

PublicAffairs — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 21:58:00 GMT

Cord blood banking is a topic being discussed more often by physicians and expectant parents. The vast array of information online can be difficult to sift through. Rallie McAllister, M. D., MPH, CBR spokesperson and co-author of The Mommy MD Guide to Pregnancy and Birth – created this tip list to help soon-to-be parents sift through some important issues when selecting a family cord blood bank.

1. Do Your Research and Do It Early:

* Talk to family and friends and your physician or midwife to get recommendations.
* Check online for testimonials and reviews. What is the bank’s reputation?
* Location is important, but not in the way you might think. Don’t assume it’s best to enroll with one close to home. A bank’s headquarters and its storage facility may not even be in the same state. Is the storage facility in a geographically stable area?

2. Know the Regulations and Requirements:

* Has the bank registered with the U.S Food& Drug Administration (FDA) and met all state regulatory requirements?
* Is the bank accredited by the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB)? Accreditation, which requires audits every two years, is evidence that your sample is screened, processed, and stored following the strictest quality assurance guidelines.

3. Be Picky with the Process:

* What delivery method is used to transport the blood? Samples can be negatively impacted because of improper transit. A reputable bank should use a medical courier company.
* Ask about collection and storage methods, as well as published rates on cell viability to ensure the bank is using the best available technology to save your cells so they will be ready in the event that you might need them.
* Find out if they’ve facilitated any successful transplants. A red flag should go up if a bank has a high volume of cord blood units in storage but has never used a unit for transplant.

4. Business and Stability:

* How long has the bank been in business?
* Is the bank involved in any research or clinical studies with prestigious medical research institutions? A bank on the cutting edge of research would likely play a stronger and supportive role if the cord blood was needed in treatment for your child.
* How profitable is the company? It’s important to realize cord blood banking is a business. If the bank goes out of business it could mean the cord blood units will be no longer be retrievable.

For more information please visit: www.cordbankingbasics.com.

Why We Decided to Bank Our Baby’s Cord Blood

PublicAffairs — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 23:23:00 GMT

by Daddy MD Guides blogger Wyatt Myers

When my wife became pregnant with our first child in 2008, I was like most soon-to-be-dads. I loved the idea of having kids, and my wife and I were both very excited about what the future would bring. But the reality is that I had absolutely no idea what I was in for.

The next eight months, of course, turned into a crash course on baby basics. We took all the classes, read all the books, and stocked up on all the supplies. I still believe that nothing can truly prepare you for being a dad until you actually are a dad, but we did everything we could to at least try to be ready.

Interestingly enough, it was my wife’s mother who first introduced us to the idea of cord blood banking. As a health writer by trade, I was a little embarrassed about my ignorance of the practice, but I just hadn’t written a lot about pregnancy and birth at that time. Once my wife and I started looking a little more into banking our baby’s cord blood, we were definitely intrigued.

Obviously, no dad wants to envision a future where something is wrong with his baby. But the reality is that it is your responsibility to be prepared for any eventuality, even the very sad. Once we looked into it, we decided cord blood banking was the responsible thing to do for this reason. Having a rich source of our baby’s own stem cells banked and waiting, just in case, was peace of mind for us, almost like a form of life insurance. It definitely wasn’t cheap, but it was an investment that we felt was well worth making.

Once we decided to move ahead with cord blood banking, the process couldn’t have been simpler. The banking company sent us all the collection materials by mail, and then we let our doctor know that we were planning on having the blood collected after our baby’s birth.

I knew my wife would have more on her mind than cord blood banking on the day of the delivery, so I made sure all the materials were packed with our hospital bags, and I reminded the nurses of our plans when we arrived at the hospital. Once the baby was born and the blood was collected, I made a phone call, and a courier was sent to our room at the hospital to collect the cord blood.

I hope that we never have to use it. But if the unforeseen were to happen to our son, we now have the peace of mind of knowing that our cord blood is available to us if needed.

Wyatt Myers is a dad of two sons, a freelance editor and health writer, and the brand manager for DaddyMDGuides.com, in Des Moines, Iowa. CBR is a sponsor of the DaddyMDGuides website.

Meet Dr. Jennifer Arnold: Star of “The Little Couple” and Physician in Houston

PublicAffairs — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 01:20:00 GMT

Dr. Jennifer Arnold co-stars in the popular Learning Channel television program “The Little Couple”. She is also the medical director of the Simulation Center at Texas Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. She is passionate about education on healthcare issues speaking nationally and internationally about healthcare simulation education and is a CBR advisor.

CBR: How did you choose a career in medicine?

Dr. Arnold:   I learned early in my life that it is important to have big dreams. As a child, I endured countless surgeries because I was born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SED), which causes short stature and many orthopedic complications. My dream to become a physician started because of the influence of my orthopedic surgeon and the struggles I faced as a child.

CBR: Can you describe your roles at Texas Children’s Hospital?

Dr. Arnold:   As a neonatologist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas, I take care of the sickest, most premature babies who come to the neonatal intensive care unit. I am also the medical director of the Pediatric Simulation Center at the hospital, a multidisciplinary center providing hands-on pediatric and obstetric simulation training in a realistic environment to improve patient safety and patient care.

CBR: CBR is involved in several clinical trials looking at the use of a child’s own stem cells as a therapy for diseases that currently have no cure. How might that impact your work as a neonatologist?

Dr. Arnold: I’m excited to know that research is going on right here in Houston and all over the country that could one day impact the options my colleagues and I will have in working with the sickest babies. It is important for parents to be educated on the value of newborn stem cells and their options for preserving them when the children are born. Since educating other physicians about patient safety and patient care is part of my role at the hospital, I’m eager to spread awareness about what is going on in newborn stem cell research and happy to have partnered with CBR.

Little boy impaired by stroke exceeds expectations

PublicAffairs — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 00:38:00 GMT

Hunter was 6 months old when a neurologist informed his family that an in-utero stroke had resulted in cerebral palsy, a brain injury than can impair movement, learning, hearing, vision and cognitive skills. He had little to no control of the left side of his body and was slow in reaching milestones.

Fortunately, the Moores saved Hunter’s cord blood stem cells with Cord Blood Registry®, never imagining they would need to use them. Doctors predicted it may be several years before Hunter could walk, even with all of his existing physical and occupation therapies. However, family and physicians were thrilled to see him take his first steps just months after his first cord blood infusion. “Because of the location of Hunter's stroke, I did not expect much improvement, but to my surprise he's [improved] more than I ever expected,” said his pediatric neurologist, Dr. Acosta.

See Hunter's story unfold by clicking here.

A Near-Tragedy Turns into a Story of Hope

PublicAffairs — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 00:48:00 GMT

Tonya and Marvin first learned about cord blood banking when they were pregnant with Sparrow. Like many expecting parents who bank, they decided to save her cord blood so it might be available for any of their children, should one of them ever need it. After some research, Tonya and Marvin decided to bank with Cord Blood Registry (CBR). Sparrow was born a healthy baby girl but had a near drowning experience when she was 2 years old. Sparrow lost her balance, tumbled into the family pool and become unconscious under the water.

Tonya began CPR until rescue workers arrived at their rural home and transported the little girl to a place where she could be medevaced to the nearest hospital. The emergency crew didn’t receive a pulse until they were in the air.

After being deprived of oxygen for so long, Sparrow’s neurologist had little hope that the toddler would come out of her vegetative state. Sparrow was sent home, unable to sit up, crawl, or talk.

Sparrow received a reinfusion of her cord blood stem cells through an investigational treatment at Duke University. Shortly after, in conjunction with physical and occupational therapies, her family began to report she was moving her limbs with purpose.

Today, Sparrow has been released from all of her physical and speech therapy classes. According to her mother, "Sparrow is doing so well! Other than continuing to have some balance issues, she can walk, run, and jump on the trampoline. She is meeting goals set out for her and far exceeding what anyone thought she was capable of."

See a video of Sparrow's story here.

My Child Without Limits

PublicAffairs — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:33:00 GMT

“For people with a broad spectrum of disabilities, life should be without limits.” – United Cerebral Palsy website

Every parent wants to give his or her child opportunities to lead a full, productive life, but when a child has a disability, extra hurdles can appear along the way. That’s why many parents of children with disabilities turn to My Child Without Limits, an organization that helps parents navigate life with their child. A one-stop online resource established by United Cerebral Palsy (UCP), My Child Without Limits offers educational information and a national parent support network that serves families caring for a child with any type of disability. We caught up with Michael Hill, SVP of External Affairs at UCP, to learn more about the My Child Without Limits initiative and the promise he sees in newborn cord blood banking.

CBR: Please tell us about UCP and My Child Without Limits, specifically.

MH: United Cerebral Palsy was formed by Leonard Goldenson, who was the president of United Paramount Theaters and ABC Television at the time, and his wife, Isabelle. They joined forces with prominent New York businessman Jack Houseman and placed an ad in the NY Herald Tribune asking families to show up at a hotel ballroom if they had a child with a disability. They thought about 10-15 parents would show up, but hundreds of parents of children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities arrived!

Sixty-five years later, families continue to permeate everything we do. We serve people with a spectrum of disabilities, including brain injury, Down syndrome and other disabilities.

In 2009, My Child Without Limits was formed to create a national resource to help guide parents of children with disabilities and answer whatever questions they have. The site has a set of diagnoses and questions from parents that range from inquiries about financial planning to summer camp and making friends. Parents across states have formed a dynamic network of support and education through their social networking efforts as well.

CBR: The My Child Without Limits site emphasizes three steps: “Understand, Plan, and Act.” Why are these steps so crucial?

MH: These three steps mirror the process that a parent goes through when s/he comes to know that s/he has a child with a disability or delay. First, the parent needs to understand what a disability means for their child and for them. Once the parent comes to that understanding, s/he can plan the adjustments needed. We help parents take away some of the ambiguity around the future. After planning, much like anything, it’s time to act.

CBR: What are a few of the questions that parents ask you most frequently?

MH: The questions vary. They can be, “My child is getting ready to go to school for the first time. What special meetings do I need to have with teachers?” or, “Would you recommend an iPad to help my child learn and communicate?” In many ways the questions mirror the basic things that any parent would ask about any child.

CBR: What promise do you think cord blood banking holds for the future?

MH: CBR and United Cerebral Palsy are constantly looking at research to decrease or eliminate neurological conditions. We have so much hope for the future. CBR and our organization have a sense of discovery and possibility to make people’s lives better.

I think most people in our community have great hope for what’s being learned about cord blood stem cells.

CBR: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

MH: United Cerebral Palsy has launched a comprehensive network of public resources for the 6-18 year old population called Brave Kids. In the fall and into the winter, we’ll be launching My Life Without Limits for 18-35 year olds. And lastly, we’re looking to start another program for siblings of children with disabilities. We want everyone to think of United Cerebral Palsy as a resource for information and connecting with others with disabilities to lead a productive, wonderful life.

Be sure to check out the My Child Without Limits site and follow their latest news and updates on Facebook.

Stories from the Road

PublicAffairs — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 00:36:00 GMT

Any parent knows that sometimes the unexpected happens when you’re expecting. The same can also be said for CBR’s Regional Managers (RMs). While our field team’s primary role is to provide support and information about newborn stem cell banking to healthcare providers, RMs also step in to help expecting families in sometimes surprising ways. We caught up with three CBR RMs – Jeni Cahill of Texas, Risa Davis from Maryland and Washington, D.C., and Christine McCue of New Jersey – to hear about some of their most memorable moments and why they love their jobs.

CBR: Let’s start at the beginning. Why did you decide to come to CBR?

Jeni: My cousin worked at CBR before me and she recruited me, but it wasn’t a hard sell. I’ve always been passionate about stem cell science. I had to have a bone marrow extraction when I was 6 years old. I can’t imagine having a child go through that. I’m a mom, and I banked my daughter’s cord blood and cord tissue with CBR.

I love my job here at CBR because I’m able to catch little things that make a huge difference. There have been instances when I’m speaking to a doctor and will realize that a family qualifies for free cord blood and cord tissue collection through our Newborn Possibilities Program. It’s times like these when I know that I’m connecting the dots.

Risa: I banked my daughter’s cord blood with CBR seven years ago. I can’t believe the advancement that has taken place since then and am excited about what lies ahead in the field of stem cell science.

CBR: Based on your time at CBR, what moments stick out in your mind?

Christine: About a month ago, a mother was in labor at the hospital and didn’t have the collection kit with her. I rushed up there with a kit, even though the hospital was outside my assigned territory, and arrived a half hour before she delivered. That put a big smile on my face! I don’t mind the long drives or the late night calls. Families have one shot at banking their newborns’ stem cells.

Risa: I have all kind of stories about rushing collection kits to patients. I had only worked at CBR for three months when I got a call from a military hospital that needed a collection kit right away. It was 2 a.m. I jumped out of bed and drove an hour and 10 minutes to get a kit to the patient. It felt wonderful to make it in time.

One of my greatest experiences was helping a mom in labor who was very sick with bone marrow failure. I was at the hospital during a regularly scheduled visit with a doctor and heard the patient’s story. I immediately got on the phone with a CBR Cord Blood Education Specialist (CBES) and connected everyone. The doctor collected cord blood and cord tissue free of charge through our Newborn Possibilities Program. After the delivery, I learned that the mother had full-blown leukemia and her daughter’s cord blood stem cells were used for treatment. It’s an incredible feeling to know that I helped change a woman’s life.

Jeni: I remember delivering a collection kit in the middle of Hurricane Mike! Another time, I was nine months pregnant, so my husband rushed a collection kit up to a hospital for a family. Sometimes you’re really racing the clock!

CBR: You’re in hospitals and Ob offices frequently. What do you tell healthcare professionals about CBR?

Christine: A wonderful part of my job is educating doctors and nurses about the power of cord blood stem cells and the promise they hold for the future. I’m a nurse myself, and I’m hopeful that my work educating healthcare professionals will help families make educated decisions.

Jeni: It’s not an 8-5 job. Surprises happen, and like everyone at CBR, we are there for our clients.

Quick International Delivers Precious Cord Blood Despite Floods and Devastation From Hurricane Sandy

PublicAffairs — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 22:43:00 GMT

The following blog was sent to us by Claire Gertz, Director Qualtiy Assurance at Quick International Courier describing the heroic efforts of just one of the company delivery specialists. We wanted to share this inspiring story with you.
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Kamaljit Singh, a veteran Quick International Courier driver in New Jersey knew his work day would be different as he headed out to pick up and deliver urgent packages on Tuesday, October 30. However, he did not expect to climb through fallen trees covered in torn electrical wires in complete darkness to collect a cord blood kit from a family in Marlboro, NJ who had just had a baby. One day earlier, hurricane Sandy was ravaging the East Coast, flooding countless communities and leaving millions of people without power. Once the winds calmed down, Mr. Singh received a call that cord blood collection kits for Cord Blood Registry (CBR) needed to be urgently collected from hospitals in New Jersey.

Although businesses were closing down due to the impact of hurricane Sandy, many organizations couldn’t stop operations. Among them, cord blood stem cells that had to be collected from hospitals in all affected areas on the East Coast, including evacuation sites, which needed to be delivered to CBR’s lab in Tucson, Arizona. This perishable biologic resource has to be delivered to the lab in a timely manner or risk the chance of the stem cells not being viable.

On Tuesday morning, following the Hurricane Sandy landfall there were some 50 cord blood kits in the affected area that needed urgent delivery to the lab in Arizona. Most of them were in difficult to access areas: Manhattan and New Jersey. Quick Logistics teams were dispatching drivers and coordinating deliveries to alternate airports because the aftermath of the Hurricane Sandy caused over 100,000 flight delays and cancellations, with JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports flooded.

The last pick-up of Mr. Singh’s route on Tuesday was in Marlboro, NJ. The mother, who was discharged from the hospital on that day, was advised by Quick to hold on to the valuable package. It is a standard operating procedure implemented by Quick International Courier in agreement with CBR that during natural disasters the cord blood stays with the parent. While hospitals are dealing with increased traumas and power outages, this one of a kind specimen is safest in the hands of the parents.

It was 10PM and a fallen tree was blocking the street when Mr. Singh parked his truck and started on foot to the new parents’ home. "The street was completely dark and I was walking with the phone GPS in my hand. There were downed trees and power lines, and the street was flooded because of a broken hydrant. It seemed pretty dangerous."

Mr. Singh walked almost a mile before he finally reached the house to pick up the kit from the surprised parents. "They could not believe I made it, with the streets pitch black. But getting the packages on time is my job. That's what I do".

The cord blood kits he picked up on Tuesday reached the Lab in Tucson, just 5 hours later. Quick's Solutions Team and CBR monitored every shipment throughout the storm, making contingency plans on the go.

Five Not-to-Miss CBR Posts

PublicAffairs — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 23:24:00 GMT

As the world’s largest, most experienced cord blood bank, CBR has a lot of news and success stories to share with our readers, viewers and followers. That’s why CBR has more than one way to provide updates and interact with anyone who is interested in newborn cord blood banking. For instance, we recently asked parents on Facebook for their best parenting advice and shared our founder’s story on YouTube. Continue reading to see some other highlights from Facebook and YouTube, and be sure to follow us so you don’t miss an update, contest or interesting discussion with other parents!

•   In our “Can’t Wait to…” contest, we challenged moms to tell us what they can’t wait to be able to do again after their baby is born – everything from drinking coffee to wearing skinny jeans! Moms are entered to win FREE cord tissue banking for answering the contest.

•   One CBR family, the Doheney’s, described how cord blood stem cells treated their son’s leukemia.

•   CBR spokesperson Giuliana Rancic just received her CBR CellAdvantage kit in the mail. We asked parents to weigh in on how early they received their kit. Join the discussion on Facebook!

•   In another success story on YouTube, the Mulumba family shared their experience, “Beating the Odds.” Thanks to a transfusion of cord blood stem cells, Carol Mulumba was treated for her sickle cell anemia and is able to live a healthier life.

•   We polled moms on Facebook to tell us one healthy habit they picked up during their pregnancy. Read the list and add yours!

There are plenty of heartwarming stories, exciting updates, tips and contests on our Facebook and YouTube pages. Don’t miss out!

The Path to a Healthy Pregnancy

PublicAffairs — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:56:00 GMT

Giuliana & Bill Rancic Visit Dewar #54

PublicAffairs — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 21:20:00 GMT

Just weeks before Giuliana and Bill Rancic became first-time parents, they traveled to Tucson for a behind-the-scenes tour of the CBR lab and a glimpse at where Edward Duke’s cord blood stem cells would soon be stored. Dewar #54, to be exact. Dewars are the large cryogenic storage pods where CBR keeps more than 400,000 children’s stem cells.

Giuliana also visited the dewars where her nieces’ and nephews’ stem cells are banked – the oldest is in dewar #1! “She was a pioneer,” Giuliana recalled. Giuliana remembers being introduced to CBR when her sister gave birth to her first child about 12 years ago, and she was in charge of making sure the cord blood was delivered to CBR. “It’s pretty neat to think I am back here today.”

Giuliana and Bill were also able to witness the quality, cleanliness and precision of CBR’s lab first hand. “The facility definitely exceeded our expectations,” Bill said. “When you walk in the door, it’s just impressive. But the technology is incredible.”

Giuliana and Bill Rancic welcomed Edward Duke on August 29 via gestational surrogate and banked his cord blood stem cells with CBR. The proud parents partnered with CBR to launch the Healthy Futures Campaign to educate expectant parents on the value of cord blood stem cells. Read the press release here.

Re-thinking Superman

PublicAffairs — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 19:36:00 GMT

When he was just an infant, Joseph Davis was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, a blood disease that causes severe pain and may result in early death. After a year of looking for a suitable stem cell donor for their son, the Davis family welcomed some good news: Darlene was pregnant. What’s more is the baby was sickle-cell free and a perfect match for his very sick brother. Through CBR’s Newborn Possibilities Program, which offers families free collection, processing to qualifying families, doctors collected the new baby’s cord blood and used the stem cells as treatment for Joseph. About 20 days after the transplant, Joseph was feeling better and on his way to a full recovery. Check out the letter below, written by Darlene, to get a sense of how she navigated the fear she felt, her gratitude for her sons’ health and her hopes for their futures.

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Dear Joseph and Isaac,

Always pray and be patient in every situation you encounter, because those same ups and downs you face may have the purpose of helping others. Both of you have a special connection to me that reaches deeply inside my soul – and I believe you were both born for a special reason.

To Joseph:

When I was carrying you for nine months, I only thought of the great gift I was expecting upon your arrival. But the news that followed regarding your sickle cell disease made me look deep within for courage, faith and perseverance to believe you would be cured of your “incurable” disease. Seeing you suffer so much made me afraid I would lose you – and it even broke my heart. But the love I had for you helped ease my fears and led me to a cure – umbilical cord blood stem cells. Since the day of your successful treatment, I have been able to watch you grow into a remarkable “little man” without ever worrying about your suffering anymore.

I encourage you to go with boldness. Chase after your goals and become that wildlife biologist you have often dreamt of becoming. I know without a doubt you will succeed.

To Isaac:

When you hug and kiss me every night, I realize how blessed I am. Because of you, I truly understand what perseverance means and I encourage you to always work toward your goal no matter what obstacles you face. You were given the name Isaac because it means “laughter” – and that is what you bring to us daily with your attitude and joyful spirit. Our year-long search for a stem cell match led me to take on new challenges and to remain positive in times of uncertainty. Always remember that your cord blood stem cells were the key to saving your brother’s life. Seeing you and Joseph play together now brings joy and laughter to us all. Your brother Joseph once said to the world, “Isaac is like Superman, saving my life with his cord blood.” But I want you to always remember, you are the “Superman” that saved us all.

Love,

Mom

Darlene Davis lives in Texas with her husband, and two sons, Isaac, 10, and Joseph, 12. She is a devoted mother, wife, and family spokesperson. Darlene has made it her passion to speak publicly about issues like cord blood stem cell banking, in hope of bringing awareness to individuals and families.

A Day to Celebrate Grandparents

PublicAffairs — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 22:32:00 GMT

In the U.S. alone, there are more than 70 million grandparents, up from 17 million three decades ago!

The importance of grandparents in our lives resonates in the stories they tell and the hugs they give. From the time we’re kids to the time we’re having children of our own, grandparents provide the extra support and love we need – they are the foundation of the family.

In the spirit of Grandparents Day, first declared by Jimmy Carter as a national holiday in 1978, CBR would like to say thank you to all our CBR granddads and grandmas who believe in providing a healthy future for their grandchildren. Thank you.