The impact of newborn stem cells: real family stories

As the year comes to a close, we’re taking a moment to reflect back on the inspiring journeys of our CooperSurgical families over the past year. Hearing their stories reminds us of why we work so hard to spread awareness about the incredible potential of newborn stem cells in transplant and regenerative medicine—and we hope they will inspire others to do the same.

Reliable support when you need it most
This year, a field representative, Lori Greenberg, was touched to receive a special “thank you” letter from a grateful family.

Based on Lori’s insightful guidance, the family decided it was better to bank their son’s cord blood and not need it than to need it and not have it. Less than a year later, they found themselves in a situation they never could have imagined when their son was diagnosed with a stroke.

Lori continued to advocate for the family, connecting them with the right resources at a critical time to help ensure that their son was able to participate in an experimental regenerative medicine therapy using cord blood.

One of our CooperSurgical families uses a cord blood sample 10 years after storage
As any of our representatives will tell you, cord blood banking is an investment with potential benefits that have the ability to last a lifetime. This year, one of our families found out they were able to use a sample that had been in storage for over a decade in a regenerative medicine treatment for their child’s cerebral palsy.

Many families may not realize that, when stored properly, long-term cryopreservation of cord blood is not known to negatively impact its use in a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.¹  CooperSurgical has invested in state-of-the-art facilities to ensure that these precious cells stay safe for whenever our clients may need to access them.

Sibling transplant demonstrates the importance of storing newborn stem cells for each child in a family
By banking cord blood for all your children, you increase the chances of having a match available in the future. One of our families experienced this firsthand after banking both of their children’s newborn stem cells “just in case.”

That “just in case” became a reality when one of the children was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, which requires treatment from a matched sample, like a sibling. Luckily, they were able to receive a transplant using their sibling’s newborn stem cells, showcasing the importance of cord blood banking for every child.

Preparing for the unexpected
While no future parent wants to imagine their child being diagnosed with a genetic condition, cord blood banking with Insception Lifebank helps families prepare for the unexpected.

This year, one of our samples was used to treat Chronic Granulomatous Disease (CGD) – a rare genetic disorder that leaves patients vulnerable to life-threatening infections. CGD is so rare, in fact, that this was only the third time CooperSurgical has ever released cord blood to treat it. Fortunately, this condition can be treated with stem cells, providing families with options when they need them the most.

Our Mission
Hearing our clients’ stories reminds us of our mission to help families access the newborn stem cell science of today and the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow.

Help us spread the word by sharing this article with expecting friends and family or providing them with a cost-saving referral to Insception Lifebank. When your referral chooses to preserve with us, you’ll receive a cheque or storage credit to fund your storage fees.*