Bank ON IT!

We asked local stem cell storage banks to give us the nitty gritty on stem cell banking.

- NIKKI HILL

From cellphone banking to cell banking, we live in an age of increased convenience. Within 30 seconds of your baby’s birth you can ensure their umbilical cord blood cells are “banked” to protect them against future health issues. Withdrawals at this type of bank are only for emergencies. Health emergencies. Think of it as an insurance fund for major health crises in your child’s life. Stem cells are like magicians that can transform into all the cells that make up the human body – organs, skin, tissue, blood, muscle, bones and nerves. So, if your baby ever gets a major illness, you can withdraw the cells from your “bank” for a life-saving transplant.

WHAT IS STEM CELL STORAGE?

After you give birth, your doctor or midwife collects the umbilical cord blood and tissue. You then send it to the stem cell bank in a special kit. The bank freezes the blood and tissue and places it in liquid nitrogen vapours in state-of-the-art storage tanks. The cells are stored until the day you need to use them for a medical issue.

Collecting umbilical cord blood and tissue at birth is free of ethical concerns, as the umbilical cord and placenta are normally discarded by the hospital as medical waste.

HOW ARE THE CELLS EXTRACTED?

After your baby’s birth, the umbilical cord is cut and clamped. Within 30 to 60 seconds, your doctor or midwife inserts a needle into the umbilical vein, and blood is collected into a sterile collection bag.

HOW DO YOU REGISTER WITH THE STEM CELL BANK?