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Save a cord. Save a life.
A simple "yes" can save a life. You can help save a life through the donation of your baby's umbilical cord blood. After the safe delivery of a full-term, normal baby, the umbilical cord is usually discarded. Instead, help make a difference in someone's life.
How it affects you There is no difference in the delivery of your baby. After your baby's safe delivery, doctors will store the umbilical cord blood instead of throwing it away.
How it helps others Your baby's umbilical cord contains cord blood-derived stem cells. These can be the cures and therapies that patients facing deadly blood cancers and other life-threatening illnesses need. Researchers are working to discover future treatments for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease.
The donation process At the hospital, you will be asked to complete appropriate paperwork to indicate your consent. After your baby is born, the cord blood will be collected by your doctor, along with the delivery of the afterbirth. If you do not choose to donate your newborn's umbilical cord blood, it will be discarded.
A Cleveland Cord Blood Center nurse collection coordinator will ensure that the cord blood is safely transported to the center. Your baby's cord blood will ultimately be stored and readied for its intended lifesaving work at some time in the future. As your baby's mother, you will be asked to have blood drawn and analyzed, similar to when you donate to the American Red Cross. With full confidentiality, your information will help support the lifesaving work of your baby's cord blood. You will be notified by your obstetrician should any abnormalities in you and your baby's blood testing arise that you would need to know.
Upon donation, your baby's cord blood type will be entered into a national database registry that can be searched by doctors in need of a match for one of their patients. The cord blood collection process does not subject you or your baby to any greater risk.
Mothers who donate their babies' umbilical cords will be invited to participate in The Cleveland Look Forward Program. This important program will collect medical information that will contribute to life-saving research.
Where to donate The list of hospitals that accept donations will continue to grow as the awareness and funding of our work increases. Here is our current list of participating hospitals:
More to follow