Donate your baby s cord blood and save lives.

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1 Donate your baby s cord blood and save lives. A public nonprofit cord blood bank licensed by the FDA

2 Each year, thousands of people are diagnosed with life-threatening diseases that may be cured with a cord blood transplant. The stem cells found in cord blood replace diseased blood-forming cells with healthy cells. What is cord blood? Cord blood is the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born. It is rich in stem cells that generate new blood cells. How is cord blood used? The treatment process is similar to a bone marrow transplant except that cord blood is used instead of marrow. Like marrow, cord blood is rich in stem cells which generate new blood cells to resist disease. Cord blood that meets testing criteria will be listed on the Be The Match Registry and stored until needed by a patient.

3 Who needs a cord blood transfusion? Patients with cancer and other life-threatening diseases such as leukemia and sickle cell disease. Patients who have a hard time finding a matched bone marrow donor. Patients from racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds often have uncommon tissue types. Cord blood does not have to match a patient s tissue type as closely as is required with donated bone marrow. Patients in need of a transfusion quickly. Cord blood units are stored and ready to use immediately. Is there any cost for donating to LifeCord? There is no cost to you. However, it is expensive. LifeCord incurs the cost of collecting, testing, processing and storing the cord blood. Joshua is a living example that it really helps. Don t let them waste it if you can donate it. My friends, my relatives know how Josh was saved. - Gea Ibarrientos, mother of Josh, who received a cord blood transplant after battling leukemia for six years and is now cancer-free

4 How can I donate my baby s cord blood? Be in the right place at the right time with the right doctor. Talk with your doctor or midwife about your decision to donate and whether donation is an option at your hospital. When you arrive at the hospital, remind the labor and delivery team that you are donating umbilical cord blood to LifeCord and they will have you consent to the process. The collection procedure is painless and will not interfere with the normal birthing process. Whether you are having a vaginal birth or a C-section, the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta will be collected. No blood sample will be taken from your baby. All required tests can be done using the blood obtained from the cord. A small blood sample (about four teaspoons) will be obtained from you at the hospital. This blood is usually obtained at the same time as other samples are collected as a part of the hospital s admission or discharge process for labor and delivery. Your blood will be tested for infections, including hepatitis and AIDS. Not all cord blood is banked. The collected cord blood is tested for suitability to be banked. The main reason a cord blood unit is unable to be banked is inadequate volume and number of cells collected. You will be asked questions about your lifestyle and family s medical history before the cord blood is made available for transplant. What happens if I do not donate my baby s cord blood? The umbilical cord, placenta and lifesaving blood they contain are discarded after birth.

5 I would love to have the opportunity to thank the mother and child who donated cord blood. - Devon Vickers leukemia patient and cord blood transplant recipient Are cord blood transplant patients given information about their donor? No. LifeCord adheres to strict confidentiality policies and practices designed to protect your personal information. Identifying information is not provided to a transplant recipient or transplant center without your consent. An identification number is used to communicate information, such as tissue typing, with the National Marrow Donor Program or a transplant center. LifeCord vs. Private Cord Blood Banks LifeCord Available for transplant to anyone globally FREE Private Cord Blood Bank May be available for you and your family Initial storage fee: appproximately $2,000 Approximately $150 in yearly storage fees FREE If the cord blood unit is requested for transplant for someone other than the donor, you incur the cost of transportation, HLA typing, disease and CD34 testing.

6 Insta Saving lives globally through mutual miracles For more information on the LifeCord program and participating hospitals, please visit call or LifeCord is a program of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. #02363