Congratulations, you’re going to be a grandparent!

From the moment you hear the news, you wonder about your new role as a grandparent and how you can best support your children in one of life’s most exciting milestones. Your lifelong promise to nurture and protect your child now extends to your grandchild. One thing you know for sure? Unexpected things happen in life’s journey.

How can you help before the baby is born?

Expectant parents often feel overwhelmed about the long list of things to do to get ready for their precious newborn. Cribs, strollers and onesies are terrific, but things have changed so much since your son or daughter was born, it’s hard to know where to begin when you want to give a special gift that will last. Baby supplies are practical and appreciated, but your new grandchild will grow out of those quickly.

There is only one chance to collect cord blood and cord tissue.

Cord blood and cord tissue can only be collected immediately after the baby is born. Rather than disposing of the umbilical cord as medical waste, many new parents are now banking cord blood and cord tissue for their family’s future health.Cord blood and cord tissue contain precious stem cells, cells that have the unique ability to become other cells in the body.Currently, cord blood can be used to treat over 80 life-threatening diseases, including a wide range of cancers, anemias, inherited metabolic disorders and immune system deficiencies.¹⁰

Your role as grandparent

Many grandparents decide to help protect their grandchildren’s future by giving a lasting legacy gift of cord blood and cord tissue banking. You can offer to pay for or contribute to the enrollment and storage fee.You can also help new parents learn more about:

• cord blood banking
• cord tissue banking
• treatment and research

After your grandchild is born

Busy families appreciate all kinds of help after the baby is born. New parents are short on time and sleep-deprived because they are looking after their new little one around the clock. You can offer to help in many ways:

• cooking meals
• cleaning
• running some errands
• baby-sitting so the new parents can take a nap or step out for errands themselves

Read about one grandmother’s decision to provide a unique legacy to protect her granddaughter’s future in A grandmother’s gift.