BROOKEVILLE, Md., April 30, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As we look toward celebrating Mother’s Day on May 9, we recognize all of the very many ways moms love their children, provide endless hours of care and joy, and carefully plan and prepare for their future—starting with ensuring a loving and nurturing arrival. There are so many decisions expecting parents have to make when planning for their child’s birth. However, one rarely makes the list: the decision to donate cord blood. Parents have the incredible ability to help keep their child healthy while also saving the life of another. In recognition of Mother’s Day, and to better help parents prepare, The Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood, a non-profit aimed at educating parents on cord blood donation and family cord blood banking, created The Youngest Donor—an awareness campaign to increase donor registration. See The Youngest Donor video here: https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/youngest-donor.
The stem cells found in umbilical cord blood can be used to cure 80 diseases including cancers, hereditary anemias, and disorders of the metabolism or immune system. Patients in need of a stem cell transplant may rely on donated cord blood units. But due to a lack of awareness, more than 90% of this life-saving resource is simply discarded as medical waste.
“Cord blood donation is one of the most critical and generous decisions a parent can make when thinking about their larger birth plan, as it can save your child as well as countless others’ lives,” said Frances Verter, Ph.D., Founder of Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood. “After losing my young daughter to cancer, I vowed to ensure all parents were aware of this life-saving opportunity—and as founder of the Parent’s Guide—have made it my life’s work to increase education about blood cord donor registration so parents understand their options.”
The foundation aims to raise awareness, helping millions of potential donors understand why cord blood is such a valuable resource for thousands of children and adults in need of a life-saving stem cell transplant. Moreover, their program, The Youngest Donor, helps parents identify themselves as potential donors by creating a downloadable icon that can be added to their birth plan checklists.
By educating the public about the value and ease of umbilical cord blood donation, Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood aims to increase donations and save lives. To learn more about how to become a cord blood donor, visit https://parentsguidecordblood.org/en/donate-cord-blood.
About The Youngest Donor Campaign
The Youngest Donor icon can be downloaded, added to expecting parents’ birth plan checklists, and shared with their doctors and midwives. The Youngest Donor campaign is currently running on social media. Parents on Instagram have access to a Youngest Donor sticker that they can add to photos of their newborns.
About Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood Foundation
Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation whose primary mission is to educate parents with accurate and balanced information about cord blood banking, medical therapies, and cord blood storage options. The Parent’s Guide to Cord Blood was launched in 1998 in memory of Shai, the daughter of the founder Dr. Frances Verter. Today the foundation maintains databases of both public and private cord blood banks around the world, as well as the only searchable map of hospitals collecting donations in the United States. All donations to support the foundation are eligible for a tax deduction on United States tax returns. To learn more about cord blood banking, visit Parent's Guide to Cord Blood Foundation at https://parentsguidecordblood.org/ or email info@parentsguidecordbloood.org.
Contact
Beth Elkis
Group Creative Director, Ogilvy Health
973.714.9225
beth.elkis@ogilvy.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5ed6cce5-f4e4-46b6-912b-19c5f4d34924
A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ab5aad6d-eabe-44a6-bd2e-17658846a1e6