Cord blood stem cells a life saviour

Dubai: Stem cells harvested from the umbilical cord blood can save lives.

Of the 3,377 stem cells collected so far at the Dubai Cord Blood and Research Centre (DCRC), nine have been used for life-saving transplants in children in cases of leukaemia and other blood diseases.

Advocating the importance of public donation of cord blood stem cells to help form a substantial registry of stem cells for the UAE, Kareema Salim Al Arrayed, head of DCRC, said: Since the inception of this centre in 2006, we have seen an increase in the awareness levels about cord blood banking and this has directly attributed to an increase in the number of people who save their cord blood at our cord blood bank. However, we need to raise awareness that cord blood stem cells can be donated. Presently, more than 80 diseases can be cured with the help of stem cells and this includes leukaemia, and treatment of genetic disorders such as thalassaemia.

She added: The DCRC encourages families to donate cord blood stem cells so that we have a strong UAE public registry to help people in need. Stem cells are the future of medicine and public banking is a trend that is catching on globally due to the several diseases stem cells can cure.

Many women today opt for cord blood collection at the time of birth and DCRC provides pregnant women and their families a guided tour of the centre and its facilities to engender their interest in preserving stem cells for their families or for the purpose of donation.

The DCRC was established in 2006 and the prime objective of the centre is to retrieve a newborns umbilical cord blood at birth and extract the haemopoietic stem cells and carry out its cryopreservation. The DCRC spokesperson explained that the umbilical cord blood is what remains in the placenta following birth. The placenta is the temporary organ that transfers oxygen and nutrients to the baby via the umbilical cord while in the mothers uterus. Until recently, in most cases, the umbilical cord and the placenta were discarded after birth. In the last decade, scientists and researchers have discovered that the umbilical cord blood could supply stem cells, the hidden treasure of life. These stem cells can be used to replace blood-forming cells in a person being treated for cancer or other life-threatening diseases such as haemoglobinopathies, leukaemia, immune system deficiencies and numerous genetic diseases and it holds out hope for incurable diseases.

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Cord blood stem cells a life saviour