London Hospital Encourages Cord Blood Donation

The Royal Free hospital in London, UK, is encouraging parents to donate their children's cord blood. Despite some resistance from medical experts, the hospital assures parents that cord blood donation is a safe procedure that has the potential to save the lives of hundreds of patients.

Currently, there are ten hospitals in the United Kingdom offering similar cord blood donation programs. At birth, specialist staff are present to clamp the umbilical cord and collect its blood. The cord blood is then stored until a patient presents the need for a transplant.

According to Mai Buckley, Director of Midwifery and Gynecology, cord blood donation does not interfere with the birthing process. Some parents are concerned about compromising the safety of their children, but Buckley confirms that the procedure only takes place after babies are safely delivered. She states that the only difference that occurs is that the cord blood is stored rather than being discarded.

The Royal Free's new cord blood collection program has been setup in conjunction with the Anthony Nolan Foundation, a UK charity aimed at providing help for patients in need of cord blood or bone marrow transplants. The organization helps patients find donor matches in addition to conducting research on stem cell technology.

http://www.anthonynolan.org/What-we-do/Research.aspx
 

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