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A woman who was pregnant when she was diagnosed with leukemia is alive thanks to a unique transplant of umbilical cord blood from two different donors. It was the first time such a procedure had been performed in Colorado. "There were some times where the odds were stacked against us," Sheila Gannon, a leukemia survivor said. Gannon gave birth to her son Sawyer 2 weeks early so she could start chemotherapy. There were infections and complications during that treatment. No bone marrow match was found. Centers that offer umbilical cord blood rejected Gannon at first because her leukemia wasn't in...

Imagine being diagnosed with a potentially fatal illness when you're just 26-years-old and a newlywed. But your one chance at survival is threatened because of a hurricane. That's what happened to a Dallas woman last year. Thui Diem Tran visits the hospital every month, but she doesn't mind. Doctors at UT Southwestern just saved her life. Tran is recovering from aplastic anemia, a potentially fatal condition. Less than a month after her wedding, Tran went from healthy, happy bride to a woman whose bone marrow had shut down…a woman who had just days to live unless doctors could find a...

SHENZHEN, China, March 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Shenzhen Beike Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has announced the successful treatment with umbilical cord stem cells of the youngest stroke patient ever to undergo such a procedure. The announcement was made following a two-month evaluation period by physicians in her native country, Hungary, to verify the positive results. Starting from October 28th, Beike provided umbilical cord stem cells to the Nanshan People's Hospital for the treatment of a four-month-old Hungarian baby girl named Timea Gresco, who had suffered a stroke when she was delivered three months prematurely. Umbilical cord stem cells were delivered intravenously over...

Think of embryonic stem cells as the perfect cover band: Give them a certain type of cell to mimic and they nail it, quickly pumping out more of the same. But they may not be the only cells that can pull off this copying act. A new study, published in the February issue of Stem Cells and Development, indicates that blood extracted from umbilical cords may be a promising alternative source of fresh stem cell lines. Researchers at the Medical School of the University of Minnesota identified a new, more versatile type of umbilical cord stem cell that they hope...

Discovery suggests potential treatment for regenerating nerve tissue after stroke Researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School have discovered a new population of cells in human umbilical cord blood that have properties of primitive stem cells. Umbilical cord blood is generally known to contain hematopoietic stem cells that can only produce cells found in blood. The new findings, however, identify a small population of cord blood cells with the characteristics of more primitive stem cells that have the potential to produce a greater variety of cell types. "We are excited by this discovery because it provides additional insight into...

ASSOCIATED PRESS BALTIMORE -- A suspected carcinogen used to make Teflon was found in nearly all the umbilical cord blood samples tested by researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The researchers are now trying to determine whether it has harmed the newborns. Of the 300 newborns tested, perfluorooctanoic acid, was found in the cord blood of 298. "It's very clear that PFOA is being released into the environment, and it's pretty much ubiquitous. But we don't know if it's toxic to people at these levels," said Dr. Lynn Goldman, one of the Hopkins researchers. A review panel advising the federal Environmental...

ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON -- Congress on Friday agreed to establish a national databank of umbilical cord blood and bone marrow that would allow doctors to quickly find a match for patients who need a transplant. The Senate passed the bill by voice vote. The House passed the bill in May by a vote of 431-1. The bill will provide $79 million in federal funding to increase the number of cord blood units available for matches. The objective is 150,000 units, which would mean 90 percent of patients needing them would have a match. It also reauthorizes the national bone marrow...

A team of bioengineers led by the University of Toronto has discovered a way to increase the yield of stem cells from umbilical cord blood, to an extent which could broaden therapeutic use of these cells. In a paper published in the October issue of Experimental Hematology, researchers working in the University of Toronto's Stem Cell Bioengineering Laboratory have identified an important component blocking the growth of stem cells. U of T scientists discovered stem cells in 1961, and for about two decades researchers around the world have been searching for a way to expand the number of stem cells...

Tampa, FL (Nov. 12, 2005) -- An experimental treatment that spares disability from acute stroke may be delivered much later than the current three-hour treatment standard – a potential advance needed to benefit more stroke victims. Researchers at the University of South Florida found that human umbilical cord blood cells administered to rats two days following a stroke greatly curbed the brain's inflammatory response, reducing the size of the stroke and resulting in greatly improved recovery. The rats' inflammatory response to injury from stroke peaked 48 hours after the brain attack, which was when intravenous delivery of the cells appeared...

Adult Stem Cell Research Treats Spinal Cord Injury Patient   LifeNews.com Note: Award winning author Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and a special consultant to the Center for Bioethics and Culture. An attorney, Smith's new book Consumer's Guide to a Brave New World was published last year. I have known about this for some time, but because I didn't want to be guilty of the same hyping that is so often engaged in by some therapeutic cloning proponents, I waited until it was published in a peer reviewed journal.Now it has been and the...

When Dr. Christian Barnard performed the world's first successful heart transplant back in 1967, he reached a new peak of human scientific achievement. However, almost 40 years later, the criteria for receiving a new heart is quite stringent, and heart transplants are granted to those patients who have the highest chance for recovery. For thousands of elderly or gravely ill patients with damaged hearts, a transplant is not an option. Now Israeli researchers are at the forefront of research which could one day make heart transplants obsolete - using stem cell technology, they're developing a way to use the blood...

Saving umbilical blood saves lives, says panel Friday, April 15, 2005 By LAURAN NEERGAARD ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON - Blood saved from newborns' umbilical cords could help treat about 11,700 Americans a year with leukemia and other devastating diseases, yet most is routinely thrown away, a panel of influential scientists said Thursday in calling for a tripling of the nation's supply. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, the building blocks that produce blood - the same stem cells that make up the bone-marrow transplants that help many people survive certain cancers and other diseases. When frozen from cord blood shortly...

Cord blood yields 'ethical' embryonic stem cells 00:01 18 August 2005 Hopes for treating disease with stem cells from umbilical cord blood has received a major boost, following the discovery of primitive cells with clinical potential matching that of the far more controversial embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The latter are originally derived from human fetuses, which are then destroyed, and have become a major ethical issue, especially in the US. Furthermore, the same team is applying new microgravity technology - originally developed by NASA for the International Space Station - to make large enough quantities of the stem cells to...

The self-professed purpose of South Korea’s Histostem Corporation is music to the ears of pro-life advocates waging a difficult war against deadly embryonic stem-cell research. According to its website, Histostem “is pioneering cell-based therapy with stem cells, free of ethical problems.” Hoon Han, CEO of Histostem, received his Ph.D. from the Catholic University of Korea in 1979. There are few who would argue that Histostem’s research and experimentation with treatments involving only stem cells isolated from the blood in umbilical cords collected after birth poses any notable ethical conundrums. The corporation claims numerous successful treatments to date for dozens of...

Saved blood, saved lives Each year in the United States, 4 million babies are born, and most of the umbilical cord blood is discarded -- blood that could save lives By Carolyn Poirot STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER In typical toddler fashion, Noah Williams, 1, squirms and pulls away when his big brother, Christian, attempts to give him a bearhug proclaiming, "We've got the same blood, brother!" Christian Williams, 6, is still too young to understand all of the details, but he knows that somehow Noah's blood helped cure him of leukemia. For his parents, Chris and Kristi Williams, the cord-blood transplant...

One Mother's Long Journey For Stem Cell Treatment By Eyewitness News' Kemberly Richardson (New York -WABC, May 20, 2005) — It's one of the hot-button topics in politics and medicine. President Bush today vowed to veto any legislation that eases restrictions on stem cell research. It's that kind of stand that forced one mother to look outside the country for medical help for her child. Images From The Story Here's Kemberly Richardson.Kelly Bavaro, Mother: "I have nothing at all, period. So I took that chance." Images From The StoryA chance that Kelly Bavaro says has paid off tenfold. Her daughter Alyssa...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Blood saved from newborns' umbilical cords could help treat about 11,700 Americans a year with leukemia and other devastating diseases, yet most is routinely thrown away, a panel of influential scientists said Thursday in calling for a tripling of the nation's supply. Cord blood is rich in stem cells, the building blocks that produce blood - the same stem cells that make up the bone-marrow transplants that help many people survive certain cancers and other diseases. When frozen from cord blood shortly after a baby's birth, stem cells are ready to be thawed and transplanted at a...

With stem cell research so closely tied to Umbilical Cord Blood, we thought it a good idea to get a somewhat comprehensive list of Cord Blood Banks put together. Additionally, since we have been tracking a many stem cell research companies and organizations we will try to keep this list up to date as we go. New cord blood banking firms and cord blood research centers seem to be popping up everywhere, so this list will obviously change over time. First, we will list the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) associated banks. Cord blood banks in the National Marrow Donor...

Scientists, Cord Blood Transplant Recipients Call on Senate to Pass S681 Establishing National Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank Network; Bill Would Create More Options for Critically Ill Patients WASHINGTON, April 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- New York Blood Center's (NYBC) President and CEO, Robert L. Jones, M.D., its National Cord Blood Program Director, Pablo Rubinstein, M.D., cord blood transplant recipients, will join Senator Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah) -- a strong supporter of improving the options of patients who need transplants -- at a Senate Briefing on Monday, April 4 to urge passage of the Cord Blood Stem Cell Act of 2005...

Beginning of the End for Embryonic Stem Cell Research? By Michael Fumento Tech Central Station, February 11, 2005Copyright 2005 Tech Central Station Supporters of expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research were disappointed by President Bush's State of the Union Address, which indicated no softening of restrictions. Instead, he said he’d work to “ensure that human embryos are not created for experimentation.” But those who truly believe ESC research will bring medical breakthroughs have naught to fear. For there’s a far more promising approach, likelier to produce more benefits and much sooner.We're being flooded with exciting new developments from...

February 2, 2005 — There is so much for an expecting mom to think about before her baby is born. So, it comes as no surprise that few women know about a program that could allow their baby's birth to help someone else in trouble. Medical research has lead to an important discovery. The blood found in the umbilical cord of new born babies can help cure people with life-threatening diseases. The blood is rich in stem cells. This is not the same as the controversial process of harvesting stem cells from embryos. Cord blood is usually thrown away after...

Cord Blood Stems Heart Attack Damage THURSDAY, Jan. 6 (HealthDayNews) -- Stem cells taken from human umbilical cord blood reduced heart attack damage in rats, says a University of South Florida study published online this week in Cell Transplantation.The stem cells were injected into the rats' hearts just after they suffered induced heart attacks. The stem cells greatly reduced the amount of heart damage and restored heart pumping function to near normal. Drugs were not needed to prevent the rats' immune systems from rejecting the human stem cells.If further animal and human research proves this method is safe and effective,...

MINNEAPOLIS - Dr. Mindy Rauch thought she was humoring her brother at a family gathering last Father's Day when she agreed to examine his 6-month-old daughter, Hannah. The baby's stomach worried him: it felt taut, and too big. Dr. Rauch, a pediatrician, thought her brother was just another nervous first-time father. "Oh, look at this belly," she said playfully, feeling the baby's middle. A moment later she turned to her husband, who is also a pediatrician, and said, "You have to feel this." Hannah's liver and spleen were enormously enlarged. It was a sign of serious illness: possibly a tumor,...

A South Korean woman paralyzed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine using stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. US researcher holds a box containing vials of human embryonic stem cell cultures. A South Korean woman paralyzed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine using stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. [AFP/file] US researcher holds a box containing vials of human embryonic stem cell cultures. A South Korean woman paralyzed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine...

"Umbilical cord blood, now used mostly to treat children with leukemia, could save thousands of adults with the disease each year who cannot find bone marrow donors, two large studies indicate."

For decades, leukemia patients have had to rely on finding a bone marrow donor to give them a new supply of blood cells. Now, two studies show that adult patients can safely use umbilical cord to help them rebuild their health. Elizabeth Rhodes is alive today because of umbilical cord. She was diagnosed with leukemia and was told she needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Leukemia patients often undergo radiation or chemotherapy to kill their cancerous white blood cells. But the treatment also wipes out their immune systems. Bone marrow is rich in stem cells that are capable of...

I would like to solicit opinions on whether I should save the umbilical cord blood of my baby-to-be, who will arrive a few months from now. I am debating between donating the blood to a public bank versus banking it for potential use for my child or another family member. I have come to the conclusion that there is such a small probability that my baby (or someone in our family) would ever be able to use the blood that it may make more sense to donate it. On the other hand, I could never forgive myself if my child...

Paralyzed woman walks again after stem cell therapy Sat Nov 27,11:14 PM ET SEOUL (AFP) - A South Korean woman paralyzed for 20 years is walking again after scientists say they repaired her damaged spine using stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood. AFP/Getty Images/File Photo Hwang Mi-Soon, 37, had been bedridden since damaging her back in an accident two decades ago. Last week her eyes glistened with tears as she walked again with the help of a walking frame at a press conference where South Korea (news - web sites) researchers went public for the first time with the...

Cord Blood Transplant OK for Adult LeukemiaStudies: Cord Blood Transplants Realistic Option for Adult Leukemia Treatment By Jennifer Warner WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD on Wednesday, November 24, 2004 Nov. 24, 2004 -- Umbilical cord blood transplants may be a viable treatment option for adults with leukemia when a matching bone marrow donor isn't available, according to two major new studies. Umbilical cord blood transplants are already successful in treating children with leukemia, but until now the safety and effectiveness of the treatment in adults with leukemia has not been examined. A common treatment for adult leukemia...

The Neolib Attack on Adult Stem Cells By Michael Fumento  November 11, 2004 The only beneficiaries of ESC therapy to date have been these guys, and precious few at that.   Among the magazines even die-hard right-wingers should sometimes read are the neo-liberal ones The New Republic and the Washington Monthly. They often contain thoughtful articles with stimulating fresh thinking. Alas that makes it all the worse when they publish something moldier than a slab of Roquefort cheese. So it is with their current combined attack on adult stem cell research, designed to support the alternative of embryonic stem cells....

A most precious gift Donated cord blood saves lives. Just ask these grateful parents Everyone in the Heacock family was a potential donor. Anthony Dones, above, received his life-saving cord blood from an anonymous donor. Ramona Shih and Michael Blitstein, right, donated son Ty's blood to a public registry. Many expectant moms pore through pregnancy magazines with plenty of questions in mind: Should I quit my stressful job and launch a home-based business? Consume more folic acid? Breast-feed or go with the bottle? Just then a page-long ad throws another choice in their path: Do I bank my baby's...

Daily Reproductive Health Report National Politics & Policy | Senators Hear 'Alternatives' to Embryonic Stem Cell Research; Adult Stem Cells, Umbilical Cord Blood Touted [Jun 13, 2003]       The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space yesterday heard "alternatives" to research using embryonic stem cells, including research using adult stem cells and umbilical cord blood, which some say could be as effective as embryonic stem cells in treating degenerative diseases, the AP/Yahoo! News reports (Abrams, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/12).        Dr. Jean Peduzzi-Nelson of the University of Alabama-Birmingham testified that there is "abundant evidence" that adult stem cells can already...

In their first moments after birth, babies across Illinois are making a donation that could save the life of another child or adult. A new law that took effect in January makes Illinois the first state to routinely ask pregnant women if they would like to donate the blood from their baby's umbilical cord for the valuable stem cells it contains. Before, the umbilical-cord blood was thrown away as medical waste. Scientists can use the blood to make many different types of cells in the body -- to carry oxygen, fight disease and help stop bleeding. Women who deliver babies...

FaxNotes – August 1, 2003 Smith Introduces Legislation (H.R. 2852) to Bolster Nation's Supply of Cord Blood Stem Cells WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), a leader of several health causes in Congress, today introduced legislation that will significantly increase the nation's inventory of stem cells obtained from placentas and umbilical cords, materials that have been proven to successfully treat a number of life-threatening diseases. While blood from the placenta and umbilical cord is rich in stem cells and successful in treating diseases, the nation's inventory of about 20,000 units of blood is too small and not genetically diverse...

Cord Blood Stem-Cell Research Workingby Keith Peters, Washington, D.C., correspondentScience involving stem cells doesn't have to take a life to be successful.A growing body of research is showing the value of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the treatment of disease—an alternative to destroying human embryos in the name of science.The face of that success was on Capitol Hill yesterday—in the form of 4-year-old Joseph Davis, Jr. He had sickle-cell anemia, and doctors did not hold out much hope for him. But his mother and father had been informed of the value of banking umbilical cord blood stem cells, and...

Megan Cardy is one of the lucky ones. Her doctors found a match. Megan was 14 when her leukemia returned. Having already endured chemotherapy, she dreaded the prospect of another long course of treatment. So Megan and her parents decided on a bone-marrow transplant that would provide blood stem cells to enable her body to produce healthy blood. After her doctors spent six months searching the donor lists for stem cells close enough to Megan's own tissue, she got the stem cells she needed — but not from a bone-marrow donor. Instead, the source was umbilical cord blood, a byproduct...

How effective is FreeRepublic? How influential is the debate at FreeRepublic? Watch Law&Order, Special Victims Unit, November 15, and find out! The storyline is an amalgam of the issues and debates hashed over right here at FR … it’s also very close to the storyline in my current novel, but that’s a different story and I’m only tickled pink that they saw fit to lift from it. [The issues and policy are far more important than my meager efforts. Law&Order, SVU reaches millions more world-wide than my novel ever will, if I get it published.] We Freepers have debated abortion,...