Cord blood remains in the umbilical cord after a baby is born. Like bone marrow, cord blood is rich in stem cells - the building blocks of the blood and immune systems, the nervous system, skin, bones, heart, endocrine organs and other body tissues. Stem cells can self-renew indefinitely and can differentiate into mature cells with specialized functions. Cord blood stem cells can be used in the treatment of certain cancers, immune and genetic disorders and for transplantation in many situations where bone marrow is considered. You have this one chance to make a difference in the future healthcare options for your baby.

The Canadian Cord Blood Registry:

The Canadian Cord Blood Registry (CCBR) is an organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of umbilical cord blood stem cells for personal / family use. The CCBR in collaboration with the Alberta Cord Blood Bank (ACBB) will provide parents with three options for cord blood storage:

Public Donation - ACBB

Private Banking for Self or Family-CCBR

Public Donation:

Parents can donate the umbilical cord blood of their newborn baby to the ACBB, a not-for-profit public cord blood bank in existence since 1996. The stem cells are made available for use by any child in Canada or abroad that requires bone marrow transplantation. Once donated, the cord blood is not available for the exclusive use of the donor or family. Large numbers of cord blood samples are needed to build a public bank that can provide stem cells for transplantation and other cellular treatments to all those who require this treatment. To donate to the public bank please visit www.acbb.ca for additional information on the public process.There is no cost associated with this generous gift to the medical need of others.

Private Banking for Self or Family:

Families can choose to bank their newborn baby’s umbilical cord blood as an investment for the future healthcare needs of their baby / family. Within the next five to ten years medicine will be revolutionized and stem cell therapies will become reality. Stem cells as bio-pharmaceuticals will be used for cellular therapy and in organ repair or replacement medicine. Under certain circumstances, the use of self or family stem cells would be preferable as this eliminates the need for the suppression of body immunity with potent drugs. There are costs associated with this banking option.

  For further information, contact the Canadian Cord Blood Registry at:

Local: (780)439-8606
Long Distance: 1-888-818-2673
fax: (780) 492-8704.

Current Uses of Cord Blood Stem Cells:

Cord blood stem cells are currently used in the treatment of certain cancers, such as leukemia, serious blood diseases and immune and genetic disorders mostly in children. Cord blood provides a readily available source of stem cells for transplantation in many situations where bone marrow is considered.

The Promise of Cord Blood Stem Cells:

The future of cord blood stem cells and other stem cells hold the promise for a profound and fundamental change in how health care is delivered to all Canadians. The potential for stem cells as viable therapeutic products is unlimited. These include regeneration of blood cells, genetic engineering to correct inherited conditions; the control of the immunological systems of the body to prevent self non-recognition as in autoimmune disorders and DNA based therapies. Therefore, the banking of waste umbilical cord blood stem cells and other non-embryonal stem cells provides for the enhancement of current therapeutic options for a variety of human diseases.

The use of stem cells will revolutionize the practice of medicine. Undifferentiated stem cells in cord blood and other tissues can be used in the treatment of several diseases. The range of treatments will expand tremendously in the near future as the scientific knowledge base grows.

What is the future of cord blood stem cells in health care?

Research is demonstrating that stem cells will some day change the way many more diseases are treated. In addition to the cancers, bone marrow failure syndromes, blood disorders and other current applications, cord blood stem cells may be used in the treatment of:

• Stroke - to generate blood vessels and brain cells for repair
• Certain autoimmune disorders (eg. Diabetes) - to provide functioning endocrine cells (islet cells)
• Neurological disorders (eg. ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy) - nerve cells for repair
• Heart Disease - heart muscle cells for repair following heart attacks

CCBR fulfills a medical service to those wishing to bank their baby’s cord blood stem cells as a source of future bio-pharmaceuticals. Cord blood stem cells will lead the way for a fundamental change in healthcare delivery in the future. With improved scientific knowledge of stem cells and the ability to direct their destiny, the use of these bio-pharmaceuticals will become a reality sooner rather than later.