The New Jersey Cord Blood Bank (NJCBB)

Our state-designated public bank allows you to donate your baby's umbilical cord blood at participating hospitals in New Jersey so his or her stem cells can be used by a child or adult suffering from cancer or another life-threatening disease anywhere in the world.

Stem cell transplants are being used in the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, sickle cell anemia, cerebral palsy, aplastic anemia and various other cancers, blood diseases, hereditary conditions and immune system disorders. In the future, stem cells may be used to fight heart disease, breast cancer, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Parkinsons disease, AIDS, and a score of other genetic diseases.

What are Stem Cells?

Stem cells are found concentrated in bone marrow and umbilical cord blood. Stem cells make the three types of blood cells that we need to survive: red cells to carry oxygen throughout our bodies, platelets to prevent bleeding and white cells to form our immune systems and guard us against infection. When stem cells are damaged or destroyed during aggressive treatment for cancer or other diseases, they can be replaced through bone marrow or cord blood transplants.

How Are Stem Cells Collected and Stored?

Why are More Ethnically and Racially Diverse Donors Needed?

Tissue types are inherited, so patients are more likely to match someone who shares their racial or ethnic heritage. As the need for transplants in diverse communities continues to grow, more ethnically and racially diverse donors are also needed from African American and Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian and Native American communities to increase the chances of finding lifesaving matches for patients in need in those communities. A key goal of the NJCBB is to increase education and recruitment efforts within the State of New Jerseys diverse communities in an effort to save more lives.

What is the NJCBB?

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The New Jersey Cord Blood Bank (NJCBB)