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What is the Cleveland Cord Blood Center (CCBC)?
The Cleveland Cord Blood Center's primary purpose is to collect, store and distribute stem cell-rich umbilical cord blood, that is usually discarded at birth, for the treatment of deadly blood cancers and other life-threatening illnesses, and medical research.
Location
25001 Emery Road, Suite 150 Cleveland, Ohio 44128
What are cord stem cells?
Cord blood-derived stem cells are a new source of blood cell-forming (hematopoietic) stem cells with the potential for many medical treatments. These stem cells are collected after delivery from umbilical cords and placentas of full-term, normal babies.
Controversy-free
Because cord blood stem cells would otherwise be discarded after the birth of full-term, normal babies, they are not affected by the ethical and political concerns surrounding the use of human embryonic stem cells.
How to donate
Currently at Hillcrest Hospital and Fairview Hospital in Cleveland, expectant mothers can complete appropriate paperwork to indicate voluntary donation consent. After the baby is born, the cord blood is collected by the doctor, during the delivery of the afterbirth. A CCBC nurse collection coordinator ensures that the cord blood is safely transported to the Center. The baby's cord blood is ultimately stored and readied for its intended lifesaving work at some time in the future. Additional Ohio hospitals will be added in the future.
How are cord blood stem cells used?
Thousands of cord blood stem cell transplants are performed worldwide each year, such as those used in the treatment of leukemia. Researchers are also seeking new, regenerative medicine therapies for other diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, autoimmune deficiency diseases and more.
About Founder and Medical Director Mary J. Laughlin MD
In 1993, Dr. Mary J. Laughlin performed one of the world's first successful umbilical cord blood transplants in an adult leukemia patient. Today, Dr. Laughlin is one of the world's foremost experts in the area of cord blood stem cell transplants and research.
She will assume the position of President of the International Society of Cellular Therapy in June 2008 and currently serves as FDA and NIH advisor.
Serving Ohio's unmet need
The Cleveland Cord Blood Center was established to meet Ohio's need for umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells for use in both transplants and research. CCBC-collected cord blood reflects the area's ethnically diverse population.
Current discussions are underway with hospitals located in other regions of the state.
The Cleveland Look Forward Program
Mothers who donate their babies' umbilical cord blood will be invited to participate in The Cleveland Look Forward Program in which information will be collected about the donating mothers and their infants' health. The information will be used in research designed to identify individuals at risk of disease, to develop possible interventions or preempt the diseases before their clinical diagnosis.
Research
In conjunction with the work of CCBC, the Goodman Leukemia Research Institute will support new research investigators in established laboratories, focusing on the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia.
How is Cleveland Cord Blood Center funded?
The Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Cord Blood Foundation (dba Cleveland Cord Blood Center), was established by a generous philanthropic grant made by Abraham Katz through the Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Foundation to establish CCBC, with an additional planned gift through the Dr. Donald J. and Ruth Weber Goodman Philanthropic Fund. Private and public funding is sought to help support the center's cord blood bank, research activities and operations.
Media Contact:
Dave Clements
(216) 896-0360
dclements@clevelandcordblood.org.
