ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, FL -- 11/09/08 --
Cryobanks International, Inc. (CII),
a leader in the collection, processing, and banking of umbilical cord
blood, shipped a unit of cord blood for transplant which had been collected
in the UMass Memorial Medical Center Cord Blood (UMass Memorial) Donation
Program.
UMass Memorial collaborated with CII to establish the Cord Blood Donation
Program in October 2006 and has collected more than 1,000 units since its
inception. UMass Memorial is the only hospital in the state or in New
England offering a cord blood donation program. Massachusetts is one of 22
states in the country which requires healthcare professionals to educate
their patients about their cord blood options.
"We are excited that this day has arrived for the team at UMass Memorial
and the families who have donated this precious source of stem cells for
use around the world," said Robert Gravely, Cryobanks chief operating
officer. "It takes a lot of coordinated effort and science to make these
units readily available. But most importantly, without Dr. Mary Herlihy
leading the charge at UMass Memorial, the area doctors and nurses who
educate and collect the units, and the families themselves who choose to
donate, none of this would happen. We congratulate them all."
"Our company is very proud of the services and the education that is being
provided by both the program and the staff at UMass Memorial. They have done
a wonderful job creating awareness and eagerness to participate in a
process that can potentially save lives," commented Legna Pena, marketing
coordinator for Cryobanks International.
Umbilical cord blood donation has been in practice since the 1990s. It is
considered a simple and painless procedure for the mother and child. CII
provides UMass Memorial with collection kits and a local donor coordinator
who works with the hospital and local physicians on a daily basis to manage
the program. Expectant mothers who are interested in donating their
babies' cord blood should enroll in the program no later than the 34th week
of pregnancy by filling out paperwork, including a brief medical history.
The donation can be arranged through their physicians, the Women's Center
at UMass Memorial, or with the Cryobanks' local Worcester donor coordinator
at 508-799-8864. If the mother is not able to pre-register, there is an
onsite registration process at the hospital. Patients can find more
information on Cryobanks International website www.cryo-intl.com.
About Cryobanks:
Cryobanks International, Inc., located in Altamonte Springs, FL, is a
leader in the collection, processing, and banking of stem cells derived
from umbilical cord blood. The stem cell rich cord blood (CB) is processed
using the company's proprietary processing methods and are stored for use
in unrelated transplants. Cryobanks established the first and only
nationwide public cord blood donation bank. The company also provides
personal storage programs through which parents can elect to store cord
blood for their own family's possible future use. In recent years, cord
blood transplants (CBTs) have become widely recognized as a safe and
effective alternative to traditional bone marrow transplants (BMTs).
Cryobanks International has processed more than 16,000 cord blood units in
its 13+ years of operation. The company is a National Marrow Donor Program
Network Cord Blood bank, and is AABB accredited, FDA registered and
cGMP/cGTP compliant. Cryobanks is also licensed by the states of New York,
New Jersey and California for CB collection and/or processing. The company
also provides consulting and management services for organizations or
states interested in developing their own cord blood banking operations.
For more information about Cryobanks International call 1-800-869-8608 or
visit the website at www.cryo-intl.com.
Contact:
Legna A. Pena
Cryobanks International, Inc.
Tel - 407-834-8333
Fax - 407-834-3533
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