Umbilical Cord Blood Bank

Cancer and Cord Blood transplant questions. I am doing research and finding a little more details about cord blood transplant. Please answer whatever questions you can even if you can't answer them all. Also if you have any good websites that answer questions or allow you to ask questions, that would be helpful. 1. After a cord blood transplant, if the patient is male and the blood that is used is female, will the patient’s blood now test as female? Also vise verse with female patient and male cord blood donation? I have also heard that if O type blood is used the patient can also change blood types? 2. I have heard that before and during the procedure the patients are very weak. About how long does this time period last? 3. What kind of medication has to be taken after a successful cord blood transplant? Is there a chance that a person will be medication free? 4. What are the most common problems/symptoms that occur after a successful cord blood transplant? How long till a person is completely back on their feet? 5. If a person didn’t say anything about the cord blood transplant and were to have their blood tested, would there be anything in their blood that would identify them as a cord blood recipient?

Blood tests and cord blood recipients If a person is a recipient of a cord blood transplant when they had cancer, and now this person is both cancer free and medication free; is there anything that would show up in law enforcement blood tests that would indicate that they were a cord blood recipient?

"How do doctors decide when to use cord blood for a transplant?

Learn about Cord blood advances from BMT Infonet? Learn About Cord Blood from BMT Infonet Webcast http://www.bmtinfonet.org/webcastcord/ The BMT Infonet website (A support site for stem cell (bone marrow) transplant patients) is doing a webcast on 9/10/08 about the advances of cord blood in stem cell transplant. It looks to be fairly interesting, and it talks about the way I did my transplant, with 2 units of cord blood. If you are at all interested, sign up!

Have you thought about donating the cord blood after your baby was born? My brother in law passed away this past week. He was a kidney transplant recipient. I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and I have never stopped to think about donating the cord blood, that is, until his death and my sisters desire to have any donations go to the "Gift of Life." Do you think it is a good idea?

Islet transplant/stem cells in umbilical cord blood? I have a 7 year old son who has type 1. I found out yesterday that I am pregnant. My sons endo told me today that one of the problems with the islet transplant was that some of the recipiants bodies would reject the islet because they were from strangers. Does anyone have any good info about this? Would it be possible to use the cord blood?

Your Medical Opinion on Cord Blood? I had a dual cord blood stem cell transplant last year for leukemia. I have a couple of questions about cord blood that I am interested in (this is not really in relation to my medical case) 1. If a person has the transplant using their own cord blood, is that still considered an auto transplant? Obviously I didnt have my own cord blood, but I almost did an auto peripheral blood stem cell transplant instead. I was given the opinion that ultimatly it would only be a time lengthening proceedure and that chances were high the leukemia would come back. Maybe that was specific to my case (aml, m1, 2nd diagnosis), but would that still be the same if you were to use your own cord blood? 2. Should you be allowed to privatly bank and/or sell cord blood? Everyone I talk to is for private banking, and a lot of people seem to be for selling cord blood. Both of my units came from the public bank. If I had had to have paid for it, buy it from someone else, I would never have gotten it. I wouldnt have the money to bank cord blood if I were to have a child. Because of my experience, I view cord blood as an organ. Organs cant be bought or sold, and I am not sure cord blood should be either (or privatly banked) for the same reason. Its no longer a fair game based on medical need. Its all about who can the most for it. What do you think?

Learn About Cord Blood from BMT Infonet Webcast? http://www.bmtinfonet.org/webcastcord/ The BMT Infonet website is doing a webcast on 9/10/08 about the advances of cord blood in stem cell transplant. It looks to be fairly interesting, and it talks about the way I did my transplant, with 2 units of cord blood. If you are at all interested, sign up! Your article is correct. It isnt as easy as it should be. And I would site the primary reason because there isnt more of a demand for public donation. This is why I posted this link, so that people can educate themselves and then create the demand. I used cord blood for my stem cell transplant to treat leukemia. Luckily, in my current state of NC, that was no big deal. I had the transplant done at a neighboring city hospital, all was cool. My cousin wanted to donate her baby's cord blood, but didnt arrange ahead of time and the only hospital in our county that delivers, does not accept the cord blood. My home state of WV currently has NO delivery hospitals set up to accept donation. I have written letters to the editor about it numerous times, but to no avail. And the other issues it mentions are right on about being confused with embryonic stem cells. I routinely run into people I tell about my transplant who think I killed a baby to fight my cancer and that I should go to hell. And a lot of people dont understand that public donation is available underneath all the ads for the private banks.

whats your idea about saving cord blood after labor? i heard its useful for cancer and transplant any suggestion?

Can My babies cord blood help? My friend was diagnosed with luekemia two years ago the first time he went into remmision and done good for almost a year well it is back again (Damn that cancer) and they told him that if he didn't get a bone marrow transplant he won't live well I am due any day now with my second child and I want to know how long I have to wait to see if I can be his donar and if it is too long then I was wondering willbanking my babies cord blood help any?

cord blood banking? my best friend passed away a few months ago from a rare cancer. Long story short his mother had a baby about 3 years ago and saved her cord blood and when he had his stem cell transplant they used that,well my question is what are the odds of this happening and should i envest the money into saving my baby's cord blood?

Regarding saving my baby's cord blood? I am 37 weeks pregnant. I have recently developed a thyroid nodule which is suspicious for cancer.I am going to have a total thyroidectomy.Both my glands are going to be removed.I have to be on hormonal therapy for the rest of my life without my thyroid glands. Today the nurse at my OBG spoke about saving my baby's cord blood. Can stem cells be developed into thyroid glands? Has anyone heard of thyroid gland transplant?

Donate Cord Blood deal? Has anyone ever donated this? Are there any bad effects I like to know information of someone who has done this! blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta is rich with blood-forming cells. These healthy blood-forming cells can be collected and stored so they can be used by a patient who needs a transplant!!

what do you think about saving cord blood ? i heard its useful for saving it for private use and it protect from alot of disease or in transplant for sibling..........any suggustion

Will you donate your baby's cord blood? Has anyone told you it is important? Have you investigate donating? Seven years ago today a baby we don't know was born to a mother we had never met in a city we have no clue about. For reasons unknown to us that mother told the doctors to save her baby's umbilical cord blood and put it in the national bank. According to the label on the stem cells my daughter received, the were donated on January 15, 2001 (which would be the donor's birthday). On May 18, 2007 my then 19 month old daughter's life was saved by that donation. Those cells were used to transplant her bone marrow to help fight a disease that would have taken her from us. First mentally, then physically by age 10. Donations are still needed. Some people still can't find perfect matches like my daughter had. Perfect matches and even close matches for minorities are rare also... Please ask your OB/GYN how you can donate. Be prepared- those that don't understand the importance may wave you off... but it is important. Be persistant if you are willing to give this wonderful gift. I understand the costs being prohibitive for some... but I dont think that people realize (in SOME places) you can donate your child's cord blood to the public cord blood bank for free. It may or may not be there if you or your child needs it in the future, but it would be there for somebody who needed it. Thanks for giving me an oppourtunity to share this with you all. I forgot to leave my daughter's website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laurenslife/

Something all mothers should know... Hurler's Syndrome? Affecting one in 100,000 people, Hurler's syndrome is a rare genetic disorder where the enzyme (alpha-L-iduronidase), which normally breaks down the mucopolysaccharides dermatan and heparin sulphate, is missing. These mucopolysaccharides build up in all tissues in the body causing progressive deterioration and eventual death. The disease was first described in 1919 in Germany by Dr. Gertrud Hurler. Hurler's syndrome babies often develop normally during the first year, but as the storage material (mucopolysaccharides) start to build up, the symptoms begin to appear. Early symptoms include frequent colds and ear infections. Hurler's children will, without therapy, experience profound mental retardation, coarse facial features and excessive hair growth, vision problems (due to clouded cornea), and severe heart problems (as the coronary arteries narrow and the heart valves thicken). Other symptoms may include carpal tunnel syndrome, curvature of the spine, frequent runny nose, hernias, and hearing loss. Most patients die of heart failure between the ages of 5 and 10. Because Hurler's syndrome is genetic, it is difficult to cure. Current approaches to Hurler's syndrome include genetic counseling for parents who are carriers of the disease, and improvements in early detection of the disease in unborn children (Hurler's can be detected with amniocentesis early in the second trimester). For Hurler's syndrome patients, a variety of treatments have been tried. The goal of treatment is to get the missing enzyme into the body. While the enzyme is now FDA-approved and available, studies have shown this doesn’t move into the brain well enough to prevent the neurologic aspects of the disease. To introduce alpha-L-iduronidase into the body, both gene therapy and blood, marrow or cord blood transplants are being explored. In gene therapy, researchers use a virus to place the gene that produces alpha-L-iduronindase into the patient’s cells. Transplants are performed to provide cells producing enzyme through the growth of normal, healthy blood cells. These blood cells appear to provide enzyme to other cells of the brain, preserving neurologic function. However, the enzyme does not appear to penetrate into the brain. Following successful transplant, patients do not suffer cardiac deterioration, and the accumulated mucopolysaccharides in the liver, lungs, and marrow slowly disappear. Vision and hearing generally improve post transplant, as well. Though the mental retardation does not progress, the patient’s IQ will typically stabilize. Thus the most successful transplants are those that are performed as soon as possible after diagnosis. Transplants performed after age 2 have disappointment results, because a BMT cannot repair the considerable amount of damage already done. Because older patients and those with prior lung problems do particularly poorly with transplant, the use of enzyme therapy prior to transplantation may be advantageous. The University of Minnesota has pioneered a study to test the use of enzyme prior to transplant, which is currently enrolling patients.

Stem Cells? Most of you know I am all up on the stem cell thing and that I am a stem cell transplant. Ok, on another board, I ran into this guy who was desperate to help his kid who has an auto immune disease. He was wanting to know about a specific company in China offering stem cell therapy. Given that stem cell transplants are ni trials for a lot of auto immune diseases, I was curious and looked into it further. This company is touting a ton of misinformation about stem cell transplant and cord blood. The guy forwarded some information from the company to me. I am only about 10 pages into a 50 page packet, but they are comparing themselves every way to a bone marrow transplant, but saying that by using cord blood there is no chance of rejection, that they dont have to kill the exisiting marrow, they dont have to worry about rejection because cord blood cant reject. I am floored by this misinformation this person is getting. Is this just money scam? I am even more floored.. I think its a money scam. Seriously. The packet the guy got is supposedly from someone claiming to be a doc from the US in Chine to give her child stem cell treatment. She is advertising to yahoo groups to get other people to join her group to get information to go to China to have this treatment done. The person who emailed this guy the packet has an email at hotmail http://www.beikebiotech.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 That is the site... THe packet goes on to talk about autologous stem cell transplant and a few other things. Its completly bogus, but I cant figure out if this is just a money scam or if they are really getting people to go to China for this. I shouldnt be surprised either way, but... I am angered that people in are spreading this kind of misinformation http://www.beikebiotech.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 That is the site... THe packet goes on to talk about autologous stem cell transplant and a few other things. Its completly bogus, but I cant figure out if this is just a money scam or if they are really getting people to go to China for this. I shouldnt be surprised either way, but... I am angered that people in are spreading this kind of misinformation

My Friend has Luekemia I want to help but how? My friend was diagnosed with luekemia two years ago the first time he went into remmision and done good for almost a year well it is back again (Damn that cancer) and they told him that if he didn't get a bone marrow transplant he won't live well I am due any day now with my second child and I want to know how long I have to wait to see if I can be his donar and if it is too long then I was wondering willbanking my babies cord blood help any?

has anybody ever donated their cordblood? i know how important donating blood is so when i read online that if you dont bank your cord blood for your children then the hospitals just throw is away as "waste" they dont ask questions that is just their "default"...well my hospital lets you donate it if you tell them you want to. and i was thinking "why not, im not gonna use it, i could save someone's life and someday i might need a transplant or something like that" well i told i few people that i was gonna donate it and i thought people would be like "good for you" or "good idea" but most people were like "why would you do that?" i was dumbfound with the negative responses i got!!!!! has anyone donated their cord blood. and has anyone ever gotten weird replies from people like i have?

Can any one throw light on various nomenclature on stem cells? I am looking forward to stem cell based remedy for my sisters son suffering from Cerebral Palsy. The term Stem Cell some one call as "Autologous or self" some say Umbilical cord blood" and some say about the Embryo-stem cell. Which is best. The NCRM team in Chennai have done something phenomenal in spinal injury patient which they say "autologous", but www.emcell.com claims treatment using embryo stem cell...I also read about a stem cell transplant centre in Chennai and some work in AIIMS Delhi, India. One more news I read was about stem cells from nose (Olfactory stem cell) by a chinese scientist....I would like to have lots of explanations from you all... thanks in advance.

Child with cancer? If you had a child with cancer, would you have another baby to save the ill child's life? What if the umbilical cord blood could save the ill child's life (the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood can be used instead of bone marrow). Umbilical cord blood is usually discarded, but can be taken directly after birth with NO discomfort to the baby. The stem cells in the blood can be used for a bone marrow transplant...and a donation from a full sibling has the lowest risk of rejection from the ill child. Would you have another? To address whether this question is real.... yes it is. My almost 3-year-old daughter has a type of cancer called neuroblastoma. Stem cell transplants are routinely used for treatment. She is doing well now, but in the event of relapse, having cord blood on hand could be crucial in saving her life. I remind you that taking umbilical cord blood does not hurt the baby. It is normally considered medical waste and thrown away after delivery. BTW - I am 26 weeks pregnant with another little blessing. I made up my mind a while ago, but am still curious to see other people's opinions. I respect that there are differing opinions and realize there is no clear right or wrong here.

Pregnancy & child w/ cancer? If you had a child with cancer, would you have another baby to save the ill child's life? What if the umbilical cord blood could save the ill child's life (the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood can be used instead of bone marrow). Umbilical cord blood is usually discarded, but can be taken directly after birth with NO discomfort to the baby. The stem cells in the blood can be used for a bone marrow transplant...and a donation from a full sibling has the lowest risk of rejection from the ill child. Would you have another? For those who were asking, yes, this is a real situation: my almost three-year-old has a type of cancer called neuroblastoma. I am 26 weeks pregnant with another baby. We were not planning on having another, but welcome our upcoming new daughter. Each child is a blessing. I was asking because to me having another was a no-brainer. Of course I would if it could save may other baby's life...and we would be happy to have the pitter-patter of little feet in our house again. However, I have found many people disagree with our decision to take the cord blood. Thanks for all of your honest and sincere answers. I really appreciate it! Oh, and I am not giving thumbs down to anyone. I fully respect that each has his or her own view on the matter. Again... I appreciate all your answers.

What should I say to my daughter's donor? Need opinions of those not so emotionally tied to this...? Seven years ago today a baby we don't know was born to a mother we had never met in a city we have no clue about. For reasons unknown to us that mother told the doctors to save her baby's umbilical cord blood and put it in the national bank. According to the label on the stem cells my daughter received, the were donated on January 15, 2001 (which would be the donor's birthday). On May 18, 2007 my then 19 month old daughter's life was saved by that donation. Those cells were used to transplant her bone marrow to help fight a disease that would have taken her from us. First mentally, then physically by age 10. I started to write the child, then I realized I should write the parents.. then I thought, 'maybe there is just a mother' ... I don't know... I just want them to know how heartfelt my appreciation is. I have to send the letter through the hospital as donations are anonymous. But I will send contact info in case they want to communicate. yahoo group: laurenslife

Pronoun antecedent questions? What's wrong with these sentences? Many of the pronouns involve "it", which I assume is wrong. - A better understanding about diseases and how they work would make it possible to test millions of drugs more accurately. - (the previous sentence being plural) It also results in a lower genetic diversity. - However, the stem cells in umbilical cords and embryonic cells can create any of over 200 types of tissue. They offer a popular alternative in blood marrow transplants. - Supporting stem cell research will make it possible for scientists to discover ways to cure many devastating diseases. With all the knowledge gained from stem cell research, it would bring new technological advances in the field. - Because of this, stem cells will have very high expectations in the medical field if it gets legalized. Thanks!

When do you consider Sammy to have ceased living? Substituted Sammy" was a normal healthy boy. There was nothing in his life that indicated that he was any different from anyone else. When he completed high school he obtained a job in a factory operating a press. On this job he had an accident and lost his hand. It was replaced with an artificial hand that looked and operated like a real one. Soon afterward, Sammy developed severe intestinal difficulty and a large portion of his lower small intestine had to be removed. It was replaced with an elastic silicon tube. Everything looked good for Sammy until he was involved in a serious car accident. His legs and good arm were crushed and had to be amputated. He also lost an ear in the accident. Artificial legs enabled Sammy to walk again and an artificial arm replaced the real arm. Plastic surgery and the use of silicon plastic enabled doctors to rebuild the ear. Over the next several years, Sammy was plagued with internal disorders. First, he had to have an operation to remove his aorta and replace it with a synthetic vessel. Next, his kidneys malfunctioned and the only way he could survive was to use a kidney dialysis machine. A kidney donor was sought but never found. Later, his digestive system became cancerous and was removed, which resulted in Sammy having to receive his nourishment intravenously. Finally, his heart failed. Luckily for Sammy a donor heart was available and transplanted into his body. It was now obvious that Sammy had become a medical phenomenon. All of his limbs were artificial. Nourishment was supplied through his veins; therefore, he had no solid wastes. All chemical wastes were removed by the kidney dialysis machine. The heart that pumped his blood, to carry oxygen and food to his cells, was not his original heart. Unfortunately, Sammy's transplanted heart began to fail. He was immediately placed on a heart-lung machine. This supplied oxygen and removed carbon dioxide from his blood as it circulated through his body. The doctors consulted bioengineers about Sammy. Since almost all of his life-sustaining functions were being carried on by machines, they thought it might be possible to compress all of these machines into one mobile unit which could be controlled by electrical impulses from his brain. This unit would be equipped with mechanical arms to enable him to do multiple tasks. A mechanism to create a flow of air over his vocal cords might enable him to speak. In order to do all this, they would have to amputate at Sammy's neck and attach his head to the machine, which would then supply all nutrients to his brain. Sammy consented, and the operation was successfully performed. Sammy functioned well for a few years. However, slow deterioration of his brain cells occurred and the bioengineers diagnosed him as terminal. So the medical/bioengineer team that developed around Sammy began to program his brain. A miniature computer was developed; it could be housed in a machine that was like a human head in appearance, movement, and mannerisms. As the computer was installed, Sammy's brain cells completely deteriorated. Sammy was once again able to leave the hospital with COMPLETE assurance that he would not return with any biological illness.

New Procedure Idea... I think? i was thinking about abortion and adoption. I thought it would be a good idea to kind of collide the two together. Here's an example. A 12 year old girl gets pregnant.... oops, ok, now what? "ABORTION!" cry the parents. But what about the baby? That "fetus" is LIVING, from the point of conception, so in my point of view, abortion IS murder. Anyway, what if that 12 yr old girl could go to an agency who finds people who can't conceive a child together and otherwise would be looking in to adoption. The agency finds a suitable couple who are interested. They meet, plan, blah blah blah, and at a point in the girl's pregnancy when it would be medically possible they do a transplant of the fetus itself... they take the whole amniotic sack, and transplant it to the woman, I guess using stem cells to grow the umbilical cord to her. She would basically be "adopting" the baby before it's born. And that woman takes over the pregnancy, birth, and mothering of the baby. That way the 12 yr old girl won't have to miss school, or any of her life over this baby, and she won't get attached emotionally, that's something that makes adoption hard on birthmother's sometimes. Anyway does anyone think this is medically / scientifically probable. I figure there would have to be some kind of device made, like a tiny respirator, to keep the baby alive during the operation, and the adopting mother would probably have to be the same blood type as the birthmother, and there would always be the chance her body could regect the fetus, like how sometimes our bodies regect organs after organ transplants. Soooooo..... what do YOU think?

what are some good discussion questions on this CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC!!!!!? HealthbeatBorderline MedicineThursday, March 27, 2008 | 10:45 PM By Sylvia PerezEach year, 150,000 Americans cross the border for experimental therapy that is not offered in the U.S. "I remember seeing the ground come up and then my head hit the Ground," Greg Minow said. "I realized at that moment that I couldn't feel anything." At that moment, Minow was paralyzed. Doctors in the U.S. told him he'd never walk again. But giving up was not in this Army lieutenant's blood. "I had to find something to fight for. I had to find something to live for," he said. Story continues belowAdvertisement Searching the Web, Minow found the International Spinal Cord Regeneration Center in Tijuana. He raised $65,000 and literally rolled himself across the border for stem cell therapy -- therapy not offered in the States. Minow claims he's gained two inches of touch sensation in his abdomen and has deep pressure sensation in his hips and the top of his legs. But one of the leading stem cell researchers in the U.S. said he is skeptical. "So, while I understand the desperation, patients would be well advised to wait until they can really have Brand A and not just settle for Brand X," said Dr. Evan Snyder, Burnham Institute San Diego. But for little Lexi Smith, Brand X is her only option. The 9-year-old is full of energy. She loves to dance. But what one may not notice is that Lexi is blind. Her optic nerves aren't fully developed. "I want to see my mommy, and I want to see fireworks," Lexi said. And Lexi's mom said she hopes an experimental stem cell transplant in China will give her that opportunity. Some American doctors have doubts about the therapy planned for this little girl in China. "I think whoever you talk to in this country about the blindness treatments in China, I think that they would give it the thumbs down," said Albet Donnenberg. Ph.D., UPMC Cellular Therapy. Lexi's therapy is set for June. It will cost $50,000 to get her there and get the procedure -- an illegal treatment in the U.S. that her American doctors don't think is worth the risk. But for Lexi's mom, it's a risk worth taking. "Hope is a major thing. When you haven't had hope for almost nine years and you finally get it, you really go with it," said mom Heather Smith. Advocates for the stem cell treatment say the earlier Lexi has the treatment, the better the chance that it will work. (Copyright ©2008 WLS-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Science homework help? Points to the best answer!? We have to read a story about a boy named Sammy. Sammy dies somewhere throughout the story, but I'm not sure where, or how? Any help? Please don't get discouraged by it's big size. It's not that bad to read. It's mildly entertaining and somewhat disturbing.. Sammy was a normal little boy. There was nothing in his life to indicate that he was anything different from anyone else. When he completed high school, he obtained a job in a factory, operating a machine press. On this job he had an accident and lost his hand. It was replaced with an artificial hand that looked and operated almost like a real one. Is Sammy Alive? Soon afterward Sammy developed a severe intestinal difficulty, and a large portion of his lower intestine had to be removed. It was replaced with an elastic silicon tube. Is Sammy Alive? Everything looked good for Sammy until he was involved in a car accident. Both of his legs and his good arm were crushed and had to be amputated. He also lost an ear. Artificial legs enabled Sammy to walk again, and an artificial arm replaced the real arm. Plastic surgery enabled doctors to rebuild the ear. Is Sammy Alive? Over the next several years, Sammy was plagued with internal disorders. First, he had to have an operation to remove his aorta and replace it with synthetic vessel. Next, he developed a kidney malfunction, and the only way he could survive was to use a kidney dialysis machine (no donor was available for a kidney transplant). Later, his digestive system became cancerous and was removed. He received nourishment intravenously. Finally, his heart failed. Luckily for Sammy, a donor heart was available, and he had a heart transplant. Is Sammy Alive? It was now obvious that Sammy had become a medical phenomenon. He had artificial limbs, nourishment was supplied to him through his veins; therefore he had no solid wastes. All waste material was removed by the kidney dialysis machine. The heart that pumped his blood to carry oxygen and food to his cells was not his original heart. But Sammy's tranplanted heart began to fail. He was immediately placed on a heart-lung machine. This supplied oxygen and removed carbon dioxide from his blood, and it circulated blood throughout his body. Is Sammy Alive? The doctors consulted bioengineers about Sammy. Because almost all of his life-sustaining functions were being carried on by machine, it might be possible to compress all of these machines into one mobile unit, which would be controlled by electrical impulses from Sammy's brain. This unit would be equipped with mechanical arms to enable him to perform manipulative tasks. A mechanism to create a flow of air over his vocal cords might enable him to speak. To do all of this, they would have to amputate at the neck and attach his head to the machine, which would then supply all the nutrients to his brain. Sammy consented, and the operation was successfully performed. Is Sammy Alive? Sammy functioned well for a few years. However, a slow deterioration of his brain cells was observed and was diagnosed as terminal. So the medical team that had developed around Sammy began to program his brain. A miniature computer was developed: it could be housed in a machine that was humanlike in appearance, movement, and mannerisms. As the computer was installed, Sammy's brain cells completely deteriorated. Sammy was once again able to leave the hospital with complete reassurance that he would not return with biological illness. Is Sammy Alive?

Child with Cancer? A similar question has been asked, but I want to ask it again: If you had a child with cancer, would you have another baby to save the ill child's life? What if the umbilical cord blood could save the ill child's life (the stem cells from the umbilical cord blood can be used instead of bone marrow). Umbilical cord blood is usually discarded, but can be taken directly after birth with NO discomfort to the baby. The stem cells in the blood can be used for a bone marrow transplant...and a donation from a full sibling has the lowest risk of rejection from the ill child. Would you have another? To Haley: You are absolutely right...there is only a 25 percent chance of a match for bone marrow. With cord blood, it only needs to be a 4/6 HLA match, rather than a 6/6 because the cells are less mature. Chances of having a match are a bit higher. :) We are pregnant again (26 weeks), but chose to do so because we would love to have another child... However, we will be storing her cord blood using a designated cord blood transplant program. Just in case ... (our child has neuroblastoma). Chances are we will never need it...my daughter is doing really well! Also, they tend to do autologous BMT's first. You just never know how treatments can change over time, though!! Thank you for your answer! I hope you are doing well after treatment ... good luck to you and God Bless! To midnight... Thank you for your answer. It was exactly your type of answer I was curious about. Most people think it is, as the first answerer put it, a "no-brainer." You clearly know that it is not a no-brainer. As you know, there are very deep ethical and moral issues involved. FYI - we are pregnant with our 3rd child, and it is possible our 1st is a match. We planned ahead... before it would be too late. We are storing cord blood as a "just-in-case", especially since it will be at no cost to us, pain-free to take from the baby, and could potentially be used even if it were a 4/6 match. And, we are overjoyed to be welcoming our third baby into our lives... each one is a blessing :) Oh, autologous transplants are when the cells are transplanted back into the person they were harvested from. Allogenic transplants are when cells are transplanted into someone else. If we used cord blood, it would be an allogenic transplant. Best of luck to you and thank you for your answer! To midnight... I also wanted to acknowledge your suggestion to get help on how to ensure the other child does not feel as though the were brought into the world just to save the other. You are right, this was part of our decision making process. When weighing the pros and cons of having another child, this scenario falls under both categories. It is a pro, because it could potentially save another child's life, yet it is a con because you do not want to make the decision for the wrong reasons...this next child has every right to live and be loved just because they are...not because they provided stem cells. This scenario did tip the scales... I will admit that. But, it is not the sole reason we would have another baby. It is one of many reasons...1. we are a stable married couple who are not teenagers (30 & 33), 2. we are good parents, 3. we believe having siblings is good for all the children, 4. we love children...etc... I did take your message to heart. Thanks!

what are some good discussion questions on this CONTROVERSIAL TOPIC!!!!!? HealthbeatBorderline MedicineThursday, March 27, 2008 | 10:45 PM By Sylvia PerezEach year, 150,000 Americans cross the border for experimental therapy that is not offered in the U.S. "I remember seeing the ground come up and then my head hit the Ground," Greg Minow said. "I realized at that moment that I couldn't feel anything." At that moment, Minow was paralyzed. Doctors in the U.S. told him he'd never walk again. But giving up was not in this Army lieutenant's blood. "I had to find something to fight for. I had to find something to live for," he said. Story continues belowAdvertisement Searching the Web, Minow found the International Spinal Cord Regeneration Center in Tijuana. He raised $65,000 and literally rolled himself across the border for stem cell therapy -- therapy not offered in the States. Minow claims he's gained two inches of touch sensation in his abdomen and has deep pressure sensation in his hips and the top of his legs. But one of the leading stem cell researchers in the U.S. said he is skeptical. "So, while I understand the desperation, patients would be well advised to wait until they can really have Brand A and not just settle for Brand X," said Dr. Evan Snyder, Burnham Institute San Diego. But for little Lexi Smith, Brand X is her only option. The 9-year-old is full of energy. She loves to dance. But what one may not notice is that Lexi is blind. Her optic nerves aren't fully developed. "I want to see my mommy, and I want to see fireworks," Lexi said. And Lexi's mom said she hopes an experimental stem cell transplant in China will give her that opportunity. Some American doctors have doubts about the therapy planned for this little girl in China. "I think whoever you talk to in this country about the blindness treatments in China, I think that they would give it the thumbs down," said Albet Donnenberg. Ph.D., UPMC Cellular Therapy. Lexi's therapy is set for June. It will cost $50,000 to get her there and get the procedure -- an illegal treatment in the U.S. that her American doctors don't think is worth the risk. But for Lexi's mom, it's a risk worth taking. "Hope is a major thing. When you haven't had hope for almost nine years and you finally get it, you really go with it," said mom Heather Smith. Advocates for the stem cell treatment say the earlier Lexi has the treatment, the better the chance that it will work. (Copyright ©2008 WLS-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

Help! Out of 200 questions, I need help on these 20! Please answer any you can!? 1. What function of bone makes a transplant of this type necessary: a. lipid storage b. calcium storage c. blood cell producation d. non of the above 2. What is the true cause of osteoporosis? a. poor calcium storage b. long term dietary deficiency of calcium c. poor calcium uptake. d. non of the above 3. Why are bones the vicitm of this disorder? a. calcium is removed from bone b. coincidence c. Anti-osteoporotic drugs attack bone d. phosphorus is removed from bone 4. What cells are invlved in mineral release from bone? a. osteocytes b. chrondrocytes c. osteoblasts d osteoclasts e. all of the above 5 .All of the following are functions of the serum calcium except a. muscle contraction b. blood clotting c. cellular transport d. all are functions e. none are functions 6. When blood calcium levels are low a. osteoclast activity increases b. osteoclast activity decreases c. osteoblast activity increases d. osteoblast activity decreasese e. bone cells are not involved in maintenance of calcium levels 7. A person with osteoporosis develops a hump in the throacic region of the vertebral clumn. This is due to a. demineralization of bone b. decreased collagen content in bone c. increased mineral content in bone d. none of the above 8. In which direction is compact bone most susceptible to force? a. longitudinally b. diagonally c. from the side d. compact bone is not susceptible to force 9. Bones that form in the sclera and testis due to stress are called? a. spongy bone' b. sesamoid bones c. heterotrophic bones d. dermal bones 10. Other tissues that may abnormally for bone are dermis, tendons, and kidneys. What do they have in common? a. nothing, it is random bone formation b. they are prone to stress c. they come from the same tissue origionally d. they have the same genes 11. Which of the following hormones is synthesized in the kidney and dependent upon cholecalciferol and therefore sunlight to be produced? a. vitamin d b. thyroxine c. calcitonin d. calciferol 12. Loss of estrogen following menopause is a major contributor to osteporosis. Why? a. estrogen inhibits osteoclast activity. b. estrogen aids in calcium uptake into bone c. estrogen has no effect on bone d. estrogen aids phosphorus uptake into bone 13. What is the term for premature closing of the fontanels? a. craniostenosis b. cranial sutures c. this does not happen d. cranial calcification 14. What would the structural result of premature closing of the fontanels be? a. large head b. small head c. abnormally shaped skull d. none of the above 15. What is the physiological result of premature closings of the fontanels? a. restricition of brain development b. restricition of muscle development c. there would be no effect d. restriciton of the spinal cord 16. What causes the development of the secondary curvatures of the vertebral column? a. they are present at birth b. weight bearing c. genetics d. movement 17. Which vertebral column curves are considered the accommodation curves? a. thoracic and sacral b. thoracic and lumbar c. cervical and lumbar d. cervical and sacral 18. Which vertebral column curves are considered compensation curves? a. thoracic and sacral b. thoracic and lumbar c. cervical and lumbar d. cervical and sacral 19. In the embryo what mechanism do the long bones form by? a. endochondral ossicification b. intramembranous ossification 20. What is the best way to treat osteoporosis? a. viatmins b. minerals c. exercise d. prevent its onset