Baby’s Cord Blood Banked in Hopes of Helping Father to Walk
Cord blood stem cells can be used for a wide range of purposes. Currently, they are commonly used in the treatment of diseases like leukemia and lymphoma. New research shows that they may be effective in the treatment of brain injuries like cerebral palsy and strokes.
One potential use that has yet to be fully explored is applying cord blood therapy to treat spinal cord injuries. The Brown family from Australia has taken the chance, banking their newborn’s cord blood in hopes that it may one day be used to help her father, David, walk once again.
David Brown was injured in a diving accident in 1992. Made into a quadriplegic, David never thought he would be able to walk again. However, a small glimmer of hope was revealed when David and his partner Rachel Jones conceived their first child. Several weeks into the pregnancy, the family discovered that their new baby’s cord blood may in the future hold the key to restoring the movement in David’s body.
“We are hopeful that it may help, even if it was just to give him movement in his fingers or any improvement,” says Jones.
Associate Professor Mark Kirkland states that it will still be a few years before substantial breakthroughs are made using stem cells to repair spinal cord injuries. But Rachel and David believe that their daughter’s cord blood will play a key role in helping her father walk again.