SAVE THE CORD FOUNDATION

Save the Cord Foundation promotes awareness of the life-saving benefits of cord blood based on unbiased and factual information. The Foundation educates parents, health professionals and the general public about the need to preserve this valuable medical resource while providing information on both public cord blood donation programs and family cord blood banks worldwide.

The world’s first cord blood transplant was performed in 1988 by Dr. Eliane Gluckman in France. Since that time there have been over 35,000 cord blood transplants worldwide. Cord blood stem cells are currently used to treat over 80 different life-threatening diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia. Many public registries (such as Be The Match/NMDP) list cord blood donations alongside bone marrow donors so that patients in need can more easily find a match worldwide. Cord blood stem cells are also proving critical to regenerative medicine to potentially treat cerebral palsy, autism, type 1 diabetes, spinal cord injuries and more.