NOW OFFERING. FamilyCord.com

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1 Experience a lifetime of security NOW OFFERING FamilyCord.com

2 Dear Expectant Parent, Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your baby. As a physician and father, I know how important it is to protect the health of your child. Choosing to collect your baby s umbilical stem cells is not only one of the first decisions you will make as a parent, it could also be one of the most important. Banking your baby s stem cells offers a unique opportunity to provide protection and security for your family. Stem cells are the building blocks of life that form many other tissues, organs, and systems in the body. Cord blood stem cells are currently used to treat many diseases, and new uses are being explored every day. Cord tissue stem cells are also being used in experimental therapies for conditions such as heart disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke. With FamilyCord, you have the opportunity to bank both cord blood and cord tissue. FamilyCord is: FDA registered, AABB accredited, and CLIA certified A respected cord blood bank, with 15 years of experience Physician owned and operated, with a stem cell transplant physician as one of our medical directors Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau We are delighted to help your family make an educated decision about cord blood and tissue banking. If you have any questions, please contact one of our Cord Blood Educators by phone at or by at educator@familycord.com. Best wishes, Charles Sims, MD Founder/CEO La Grange Ave. Los Angeles, CA P: F: FamilyCord.com

3 Securing the future Stem Cell Treatments Revolutionize Medicine To date, physicians have used stem cells from cord blood in more than 20,000 transplants to treat over 80 life-threatening diseases, including cancers, blood disorders, and immune system deficiencies. Stem cells are also the key to the emerging field of Regenerative Medicine, which promises new cures for previously untreatable conditions. Stem cells have the capability to develop into many different cell types in the body. These cells can be collected from your baby s cord blood (the blood in the umbilical cord) and the cord tissue (the tissue from the umbilical cord itself). Experts currently estimate a probability of 1 in 217 that your child will have a medical condition that may be treated with stem cells during his or her lifetime. [Published in Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2008;14(3): ] Two Ways to Protect Your Family At FamilyCord, we offer you the opportunity to bank umbilical cord blood and/or cord tissue. Cord blood and cord tissue provide different types of stem cells, so storing both gives you a greater number and variety of stem cells. This may increase the potential to treat a broader range of diseases. Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which have already been used in thousands of transplants. Cord tissue is a source of many cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Researchers have discovered that MSCs will play a major role in future clinical therapies using Regenerative Medicine. This research holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs by stimulating the body to heal itself. Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today! 3

4 CORD BLOOD banking Nature s Powerful Protector Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). HSCs have two important features: they can renew themselves and they can create different types of specialized blood cells. NUMBER OF DISEASES TREATED WITH CORD BLOOD STEM CELLS? HSCs are being used to treat more diseases each year and may be able to replace a wider array of cells than once thought possible. In fact, researchers are exploring the potential of HSCs in experimental therapies for cerebral palsy and diabetes (type 1) The American Academy of Pediatrics encourages private cord blood banking when there is a predisposition for a genetic condition that could benefit from stem cell transplantation and beyond Some of the Diseases Treated With Cord Blood Stem Cells Cancers Acute Biphenotypic Leukemia Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia Hemophagocytosis Hodgkin s Lymphoma Juvenile Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Lymphohistiocytosis Multiple Myeloma Myelodysplastic Syndrome Neuroblastoma Non-Hodgkin s Lymphoma Blood Disorders Blackfan-Diamond Anemia Glanzmann Thrombasthenia Myelofibrosis Pure Red Cell Aplasia Sickle Cell Anemia Thalassemia Immune System Deficiencies Chronic Granulomatous Disease Common Variable Immune Deficiency Congenital Immune Deficiency DiGeorge Syndrome Griscelli Syndrome Lymphocyte Adhesion Disease Nezelof Syndrome Omenn s Syndrome Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome X-linked Lymphoproliferative Disease Metabolic Disorders Adrenoleukodystrophy Amyloidosis Gaucher s Disease Hunter Syndrome Hurler Syndrome Krabbe Disease Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome Mannosidosis Maroteaux-Lamy Syndrome Metachromatic Leukodystrophy Mucolipidosis Type II Niemann-Pick Disease Sandhoff Disease Sanfilippo Syndrome Sly Syndrome Tay-Sachs Disease Wolman Disease Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes Amegakaryocytosis Aplastic Anemia Congenital Dyskeratosis Congenital Neutropenia Congenital Thrombocytopenia Fanconi Anemia Kostmann Syndrome Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria Reticular Dysgenesis Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome Sideroblastic Anemia Thrombocytopenia Other Osteopetrosis Refractory Anemia As of June 2011 As with any transplant, therapeutic success depends upon factors including patient condition, type of disease, recipient/donor matching, and other factors. Autologous stem cells are not generally suitable for treatment of inherited genetic diseases, nor are they guaranteed to provide a cure for other diseases. There is no guarantee that the cord blood will match anyone other than the baby. 4

5 Our Service Storing cord blood with FamilyCord ensures that your baby s HSCs will be available when you and your family need them most. Should that need ever arise, you will have a source of HSCs that is not only an exact genetic match to your baby, but also may be compatible with a sibling or other family member. Best and Safest Technologies FamilyCord has been an industry leader since Our cord blood collection, processing, and storage techniques set the standard for scientific excellence. As recommended by the FDA, FamilyCord collection bags utilize liquid Citric Phosphate Dextrose (CPD) anticoagulant. We have never used any form of heparin. In a recent study, cord blood units collected with liquid CPD contained significantly more CD34+ cells (stem cells) than units collected with dry heparin. FamilyCord achieved an average of 3.8 million CD34+ cells per unit in Our proven processing and storage technology ensures protection of your baby s stem cells. Additionally, we utilize an FDA-approved cryogenic storage bag that features a heat-sealed overwrap, adding an extra barrier of protection against cross-contamination. 58% HIGHER CD34+ CELL COUNT WHEN COLLECTED WITH CPD HEPARIN CD34+ Count Preprocessing CPD (Millions) American Society of Hematology Abstract, #4227 I want to express my gratitude for the services FamilyCord provided for one of my recent patients. Your company helped the Texas family store cord blood in anticipation of a stem cell treatment needed for their son with Fanconi anemia. FamilyCord has worked closely with the family, hospital and physicians to provide the highest quality stem cell services. It is a pleasure to work with a company that focuses on clinical excellence and truly cares for its clients. Paul Cook, MD, FACOG For more information about cord blood stem cells, call

6 CORD TISSUE banking Store Today, Protect Tomorrow In addition to banking stem cells from your baby s cord blood, you now have the opportunity to bank stem cells from your baby s umbilical cord tissue. Cord tissue is a source of many cell types, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Researchers have discovered that MSCs will play a major role in future clinical therapies using Regenerative Medicine. This research holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs by stimulating the body to heal itself. Trials are under way using MSCs to treat debilitating conditions such as heart disease, stroke, liver disease, Parkinson s disease, and spinal cord injury. spinal cord injury heart disease REGENERATIVE MEDICINE stroke Parkinson s disease liver disease Regenerative medicine is a revolutionary approach that focuses on curing conditions as opposed to treating them. Regenerative medicine empowers doctors with the ability to replace damaged tissue in patients with healthy organic tissue. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 6

7 When you bank cord tissue with FamilyCord, we take extra steps to give you extra confidence. Unlike other banks that store cord tissue, FamilyCord verifies the quantity and quality of your baby s MSCs before placing them into long-term storage. Processing & Extraction: Maximize the number of cells available for future use FamilyCord fully processes the cord tissue and extracts the cells into a solution. Storing cells as a solution (rather than as tissue segments) allows for superior cryopreservation that maximizes the number of cells available for future use. Some other banks only store tissue segments. Verification: See the quality of your baby s stem cells A small sample of the solution is used to perform cell expansion and demonstrate that the cells can grow. Cell expansion gives health care providers important information about the quality of MSCs for future therapies (this information cannot be obtained from cord tissue segments). PhotoCertificate: The proof is in the picture When you choose to bank your baby s cord tissue, you will receive a PhotoCertificate of storage with: Total cell count and viability (pre-freeze) Verified growth of the treatment-ready cells A photograph of the expanded MSC sample Photo of expanded MSC sample Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today! 7

8 the FAMILYCORD ADVANTAGE The Science of Family Security FamilyCord provides the highest quality stem cell services through unmatched scientific excellence and innovation. Superior Collection Kit FamilyCord features a patented state-of-the-art collection kit to provide maximum stem cell protection: Temperature stabilizers provide 10 hours of protection against heat and cold most kits offer only 30 minutes Reinforced case and protective inner tubes provide the ultimate protection against breakage FDA-approved blood collection bag included in our OSHA-compliant kit Professional Medical Courier FamilyCord uses a professional medical courier to ensure safe and efficient transportation of cord blood and tissue from your hospital room to our laboratory. FamilyCord s Medical Expertise and Experience FamilyCord is operated by nationally renowned physicians, including a stem cell transplant physician. We are guided by world-class scientific expertise and medical ethics in everything we do. FamilyCord has extensive experience in clinical laboratory management, cord blood banking, and frozen tissue storage. Our parent company, California Cryobank, has been an innovative world leader in cryopreservation since Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today!

9 Licenses and Accreditations FamilyCord is registered with the FDA, accredited by AABB (Formerly American Association of Blood Banks), and certified by CLIA. REGISTERED Certified Long-term Reliability With a precious resource like cord blood, you want to be sure the company you bank with will be there when you need it. FamilyCord has been providing stem cell services for 15 years and has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. Customer Service When you enroll with FamilyCord, you will receive your own personal Cord Blood Educator who will work with your family as it grows. The Cord Blood Educator will be your single point of contact during regular business hours throughout your relationship with FamilyCord. We are always available for any urgent questions you or your health care provider may have before, during, or after the delivery of your baby. We will notify you when your umbilical stem cells have been processed. We ve done extensive research and are convinced that we made the right choice in FamilyCord for our child who was born in August We are pleased with the Customer Service and A+ Better Business Bureau rating. Seeing that the laboratory is AABB accredited, FDA registered, and CLIA certified played a huge part in our decision. Thank you! Andrea, FamilyCord Client 9

10 PROCESSING AND STORAGE FamilyCord headquarters Processing Excellence FamilyCord was founded by physicians and is committed to the highest standards of technical excellence and proven methods. We use red cell depletion and plasma reduction to isolate the solution containing the stem cells found in cord blood. FamilyCord s processing results for Total Nucleated Cells (TNC) and CD34+ cells compare favorably with published cord blood data. Our experienced laboratory staff processes each cord blood unit individually in order to achieve the best possible results. CordTissuePLUS is a proprietary method of tissue processing that includes enzymatic extraction of the MSCs and storage in a dual-chamber bag. Additionally, a small sample is thawed and stem cell expansion is performed to confirm the quality of the processed cells. Superior Storage CordBlood and CordTissuePLUS units are stored in dual-chamber bags with a heat-sealed overwrap that provides an added barrier against cross-contamination. FamilyCord stores all stem cells in treatment-ready solutions and uses cryogenic bags (rather than vials) because they are most commonly used by stem cell transplant physicians. Our FDA-approved bag is specifically designed for cryogenic storage in liquid nitrogen and future stem cell expansion. The dual-chamber configuration allows clients to take full advantage of Regenerative Medicine by allowing for more than one stem cell treatment. Cord blood and tissue storage bags 10 Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today!

11 When it comes to protecting the most important part of our lives, there can be no substitute for the best. We looked at many different options for banking and read tons of reviews; FamilyCord was rated one of the best and our experience with them has proved the reviews correct. They couldn t have made the process any easier for us. Easy collection, easy financing and most of all, peace of mind! Kaitlyn, FamilyCord Client State-of-the-Art Facilities FamilyCord s Los Angeles and Indianapolis cryogenic storage facilities are specially designed to ensure maximum protection for your stem cells from earthquake, fire, flood, and loss of power. Our state-of-the-art facilities feature 24/7 monitoring, fire suppression systems, restricted access, emergency generators, and back-up liquid nitrogen supply to ensure that we provide your family with the ultimate safety and security. Los Angeles storage facility 11

12 JOIN OUR ONLINE FAMILY Stay Connected! Discover our growing online community and interact with thousands of new parents and parents-to-be. Facebook.com/FamilyCord Share stories, baby photos, and personal experiences with other families on our Facebook page. Read the inspirational pregnancy and parenting stories that our clients are telling. Enter our popular contests to win free cord blood storage and other great prizes. check out our Mother s Day Contest! Win 3 free years of cord blood storage by uploading your cutest Mommy & Me photo to our Facebook page and telling us why you chose FamilyCord. Click here for details and rules. Twitter.com/FamilyCord Receive live news and information updates from FamilyCord, ask questions, and keep up with the fascinating world of stem cell medicine. cord Blood Use: Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer opens up about his son s cord blood stem cell transplant at 15 months old to treat Sickle Cell Anemia. YouTube.com/FamilyCord Check out our YouTube channel and subscribe to be notified about new videos we add! In addition to our own videos, we also share the best stem cell-related videos from around the Web with you. 12 Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today!

13 SHARE THE POSSIBILITIES Referral Program Earn FREE Storage Do you have friends or family members who are currently pregnant? If so, be sure to tell them about the value of saving their baby s cord blood. For each of your referrals that enroll, both you and your referral will receive one year of free storage a $125 value! Newsletter Not only does our newsletter keep you informed about FamilyCord happenings, it also provides up-to-date breakthroughs in cord blood research and treatments, features like family-friendly activities for all ages, and contests offering great prizes! Gift Card Invite your friends and family to share in this gift for your baby. Our gift cards are a special way to pass on the security of cord blood banking. Visit FamilyCord.com/giftcard for more information. We chose FamilyCord because we value the precious things in life... our family, our little boy, and his health. FamilyCord doesn t spend millions in advertising. Instead, they keep their prices low by relying on word of mouth. That makes good sense to me, a working mom who only wants the best for my family. Alicia D, Facebook Fan 13

14 three easy STEPS 1. Enroll Online Sign up anytime at FamilyCord.com By Phone Call a Cord Blood Educator By Fax Fax enrollment form to Visit FamilyCord.com for an easy-to-use pricing calculator and payment information. 2. Collect You will receive your FamilyCord Collection Kit soon after you enroll. Keep this kit with the bag you will bring to the hospital. This kit contains everything that your health care provider will need for safe and simple collection, which will only take a few minutes after birth. 3. Call medical courier After the short collection process, your health care provider will return the kit to you. Simply call the number on the back of the kit to arrange transportation to our state-of-the-art laboratory. Our laboratory staff will take great care to process and cryogenically store your baby s cord blood. Visit FamilyCord.com or call to enroll today! 14

15 2011 FamilyCord.