Collecting Cord Blood offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain stem cells. Stem cells are unique. They are the building blocks of our blood and the foundation of our immune system.

They can reproduce into red cells (these carry oxygen throughout our bodies), white cells (these fight off infections) and platelets (these create clots, preventing us from bleeding excessively).

Patients undergo treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy in order to destroy cancer cells. These treatments are often effective in attacking these cells. Unfortunately, they sometimes destroy a patient's vital stem cells and bone marrow.

After these treatments, it may be necessary to infuse or transplant stem cells back into the body to "boost" the immune system and repopulate new blood cells. If a transplant was necessary, your child's Cord Blood would provide a perfect match. It could also benefit a sibling, grandparent, relative or even you. Stem cells from your child's Cord Blood could be used as part of a therapy associated with many cancers and blood disorders, see Diseases Treated.

Each year approximately 10,000 patients are in need of stem cell therapy. A staggering 70% of these are unable to find a donor that matches their blood. This is why storing your child's Cord Blood is important.

Freezing these cells provides a form of "Life Insurance" for your child and your extended family. It is beneficial to have a private source of perfectly matched stem cells. Their immediate availability means that you do not have to go through the long and agonizing process of finding a match in the public banking system. Currently, tens of thousands of parents have chosen to store their baby's Cord Blood. As the media and concerned parents become more aware, these numbers continue to increase.

Your baby's Cord Blood may provide future benefits. Scientists are advancing stem cell therapies in the areas of arthritis, heart disease, nerve and tissue regeneration and other immune disorders. There is a tremendous amount of excitement within the medical and scientific community regarding the potential uses of stem cells. Saving your baby's stem cells may become an important component to successfully treating a host of ailments. If your child ever needs to use their Cord Blood as part of a life saving treatment, it will provide an exact match. Siblings have up to a 50% chance of becoming a match.

If you have a family history of certain types of cancer or blood disorders, Cord Blood banking may be a prudent decision. If you choose to adopt a child or undergo fertility treatments, there may not be another opportunity to obtain a source of related, stem cells. So, banking your baby's Cord Blood may be even more crucial under these circumstances.