In October, SPAC held its monthly meeting at the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank (NJCBB) in Allendale, Bergen County. The NJCBB is a publicly funded cord/placental blood bank whose resources are available to sick children and adults worldwide. Our SPAC delegates toured the lab and met all the incredible people who keep this program running.

When a child is born, and there is a new life amongst us, it’s amazing to think that this new life can also save a life, and do so by using what is mostly considered to be medical waste. It’s true. In many hospitals in New Jersey, a new mother can donate her baby’s umbilical cord blood for free before it is thrown in the trash, and possibly save those suffering from leukemia, sickle cell anemia and approximately 70 other diseases. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, and offers greater benefits than bone marrow transplants to recipients, since the cells are “naïve”. This means that these immature cells easily adapt to the new host, thereby lessening the possibility of rejection and the need for long term antirejection medication.

SPAC has worked on the issue of cord blood donation for many years, supporting the legislation that required doctors to notify their patients about the option to donate their baby’s cord blood, helping to raise awareness about donations, and is now researching new legislation to ensure the NJCBB receives funding critical to its survival.

The NJCBB is especially in need of a greater diversity of donations, covering all ethnicities and backgrounds. For more information on Cord Blood Donations speak to your SPAC Delegate or contact the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank at Community Blood Services at 866-SAVCORD (866-728-2673) or at www.communitybloodservices.org.