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July is Cord Blood Awareness Month!

 
Did you know San Diego Blood Bank has a public Cord Blood Donation Program? In partnership with Be the Match, SDBB helps connect lifesaving umbilical cord blood to patients who need stem cell transplants to treat more than 80 illnesses.  

How does that work? Umbilical cord blood is rich with stem cells that haven't had a chance to become a specific type of cell. In that way, these young stem cells can be used as treatments to become new healthy cells for those who need them. 

New moms can donate their cord blood after a successful birth of a healthy baby. This is blood the hospital would most often discard as biohazardous waste. Instead, it is used to save lives! 

To date, SDBB has shipped 154 cord blood units to patients in urgent need and has successfully helped save lives. Our Cell Therapy staff facilitate the collection and transportation of cord blood back to SDBB where these life-saving cells are then separated, frozen, and stored in liquid nitrogen until they are matched to patients in need through the Be The Match Registry®. These life-saving cells are usually the last hope for patients suffering from diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma.