Imagine, for just 2 seconds, that your life hangs in the balance and the only people that can save you from certain death, are complete strangers.

I do not have to imagine it, I live it - everyday. Instead of being a victim of a rare blood disorder or the survivor of a near death experience, I choose to be a LIVING TESTIMONY of the need for blood donors. As an advocate and spokesperson working with the nation's two largest blood collection organizations, I hope to connect donors to the lives they save through education, encouragement and open communication. Together, we can save lives, one pint at a time.


Every 2 seconds, someone requires a blood transfusion to live.

That's why "It's Hip 2 Give!"

Check out the "Are You My Type?" commercial!

Monday, March 8, 2010

Cord Blood: A Baby's Gift

Have you ever heard of Cord Blood Donation? It's a unique gift that precious little ones and their parents can give.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in your baby's umbilical cord after the cord has been cut. Doctors have discovered that cord blood, like bone marrow, is a rich source of unique stem cells that can be used in medical treatments.

Cord blood banking is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parents to collect and preserve the stem cells from their baby's umbilical cord blood for potential medical uses. Saving cord blood stem cells ensures these lifesaving cells are immediately available to your child and family if ever needed. By saving your baby's stem cells with a Cord Blood Registry, your child and family can have access to better medical treatment options or cures for cancers, as well as potential treatments for conditions such as brain injury and juvenile diabetes.

If you choose not to bank your baby's cord blood, it is discarded after birth.

Stem cells are the body's "master" cells and can become any type of cell in the human body. The first use of stem cells in medicine was to regenerate healthy blood and immune cells in cancer patients.

•Cord blood stem cells have been used to treat nearly 80 serious diseases, including leukemia, other cancers, and blood disorders.
•Cord blood stem cells have also shown promise in regenerative medicine for treating medical conditions such as brain injury, cerebral palsy, and juvenile diabetes. They are actively being researched for use in reversing hearing loss and growing replacement tissue and organs, like heart valves and blood vessels.

Collecting cord blood is a simple, safe, and painless procedure that usually takes less than five minutes. Cord blood is collected immediately after your baby is born. After the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, the remaining blood in the umbilical cord is drawn into a collection bag. The collection procedure is safe for both the mother and baby and can be performed after vaginal or cesarean births.

After your baby's cord blood has been collected, it is returned to the specialized Cord Blood Registry Cell Advantage Collection Kit and then shipped to the laboratory by a private medical courier for processing and storage.

The chance to save your baby's or another person's life, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. This process is easy, painless, and will gift the gift of life like no other blood donation can for some people - please donate blood, and if you are pregnant, consider Cord Blood Donation.

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