Did you know the umbilical cord and placenta that’s usually thrown away at birth contains some of the richest and purest stem cells that can be used for treating blood-related cancers and immune diseases?

That’s why the Singapore Cord Blood bank is encouraging pregnant women to donate their cord. It’s painless, harmless, and has the potential to save the lives of patients searching for stem cell donations.

Those suffering from life-threatening diseases such as leukaemia, thalassemia and other blood cancers and immune disorders, rely on stem cell transplants as a life-saving cure. The treatment is a simple procedure, but devastatingly, only around 50% of those needing a stem cell transplant are able to find a suitable “stem cell match” from donors.

In order to receive a stem cell transplant, patients has to have compatible DNA tissue type, which lay-man terms means they can’t use any old donation, they need one that their body will be receptive to. By the time these patients need a stem cell transplant, their immune system is significantly weak, compromised and susceptible to rejecting any “foreign’ bodies which may cause them to reject treatment and fall into relapse – which is why it’s so important they have more cord donations to choose from. In other words, the more cords, the more likely one of these sick patients will find a cure that can save their life. Umbilical cord blood collection has been carried out for over two decades and has saved thousands of lives around the world, but there are still thousands without suitable donors.

Donating an umbilical cord blood can literally save the lives of patients searching for a matching stem cell unit to survive. To learn how you, or one of your pregnancy friends, colleges or family members can donate and help save a life, visit http://www.scbb.com.sg/donate/Pages/Home.aspx