In this video, we follow a story about a baby girl by the name of Grace. Grace suffers from a condition called “Hydrocephalus,” or “water on the brain.” With this disease, the fluid inside of the brain leads to swelling. Grace’s parents were alerted of this condition during their 20 week ultrasound visit. Knowing there is a possibility the swelling can be reduced by a stem cell treatment, Grace’s parents’ consent to an infusion using the cord blood they stored at the time of her birth. This procedure is led by Dr. Joanne Kurtzberg, who is Director of Duke’s Pediatric Bone Marrow and Transplant program.
The cord blood was kept frozen at -300F in a thermogenic liquid nitrogen freezer. After approximately 90 minutes, the 3-5 oz. sample was prepared for the infusion. Dr. Kurtzberg explains that of all the cells in the sample, there are probably about 20 progenitor cells, which is a cell that “has a tendency to differentiate into a specific type of cell, but is already more specific than a stem cell and is pushed to differentiate into its "target" cell.” The issue is, “science has yet to figure out how to separate these cells from the other millions of cells,” says Dr. Kurtzberg.
The non-invasive procedure, which takes about 5-7 minutes from start to finish, is a success. Grace’s parents are happy with the outcome, and now wait to see how effective the treatment truly is. To see a list of diseases which can also be treated by stem cells from cord blood, please go to here
To see information about how to sign up for cord blood preservation, please go to here
Disclaimer: AlphaCord does not endorse or make recommendations with respect to research, medications, or treatment. All information provided is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice.
