Well after a lot of research my DH and I decided to bank the cord blood from our upcoming new addition. One of our friends just found out that their 3 year old has leukemia, and up until then he was perfectly healthy and there is no family history of leukemia. After hearing that we starting thinking that maybe banking cord blood would have been a lifesaver for them, we don't want to look back and say 'we should have'. It's just an amazing thing! We are using Cord Blood Registry - has anyone else done this?
kptoys
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Did you get the kit already? I heard something about having it 3 months in advance.
JENNCHRIS
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Yeah we kinda waited till last minute, we just kept going back and forth (a lot of $$). They were going to overnite a kit to us, but then she looked and saw that Hamptons OB stocks the kits so I can pick one up at my next appt - she's going to call me back tomorrow after she talks to them to make sure the office has them, otherwise she'll mail it.
kptoys
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I did see someone walk out with a kit one day. I was thinking about doing it with this baby as well... but we dont have any history of any diseases that can be cured by it in our families... but since your friends experience it makes me rethink it. - BTW you have FM
JENNCHRIS
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I was against it just because of the $$, but my DH really wants to do it - the great thing is that the cord blood can be used (if a match) with siblings, parents, grandparents and 1st and 2nd relations. And the things that they expect to be able to help with this technology are amazing.
Calla
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What made you choose Cord Blood Registry? Did you look at Viacord as well? I'm finding the comparison shopping on this one to be very difficult. I wish some expert would just tell me which was best!
missmmpr
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my sister did this with both kids as well...I don't know who they used though..How much is it?
Calla
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Viacord is $1800 for the collection and shipping fee, plus $125 each year after for ongoing storage.
bride082003
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we did it through cryo-cell since other family members have used them. no problems...
dawnie
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I will be doing it. We are using Viacord.
Mindy0247
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We were registered and had the kit for Viacord. As many of you know I had Isabelle 11 weeks early. Every time they rushed me down to labor and delivery we carried the kit with us. Finally, when they decided to do a C-Section, they told us there was not enough blood for it to work. Viacord was great, they didn't make us pay the fee for not using it after we said we would and the woman I dealt with was such a sweetheart. Hopefully we will never need it. If I were to get pregnant again I would definitely try Viacord again.
Nikki10-12-03
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Posted by bride082003
we did it through cryo-cell since other family members have used them. no problems...
I am glad to hear there were no problems...cryo-cell is who we just decided to use
SeptWed
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Can someone tell me what this is? Why bank cord blood? What are the costs associated with it on average?
kptoys
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Does anyone know what the percentage of having an actual match in the family is?
emilain
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God forbid a family member especially one of your other kids come down with a life threatneing illness that can be helped with cord blood/cells, you'll have them. I know of a family that has success when one of their children was diagnosed with leukemia, they did cell stem transplants and the sick child is in remission.
I would DEFINITELY recommend Viacord, my family and I work very closely with head of ped. oncology from both Stony Brook and North Shore and they recommend Viacord over all other companies, They have been in business and have the highest amounts os viable cells (some of them die while being transported , collected, etc) Viacrod is expoensive, but in this case, cost really does give you better quality. You can transfer your cells to Viacord once banked with another company. My friend used Cryo cll and her cell #'s were much lower than my daughter's when we got out statement a month after we gave birth, she has since switched to Viacord. REALLY consider it, why waste your $ of your cell count will be low? Also , some of the other companies are not even certified, they are applying for it (or so they say)
JENNCHRIS
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The hardest part was deciding which company to go with, they all sound the same! We pretty much talked to a rep from each company and felt more comfortable with CBR, I searched and searched for more info, but I couldn't find anything on who is better!
JENNCHRIS
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Does anyone know what the percentage of having an actual match in the family is?
I found this, it doesn't exactly answer your question....
The immune cells in cord blood are 'younger' and are more likely than bone marrow to be a suitable match between family members. This is important because some studies have shown that survival rates double when the patient receives a stem cell transplant from a relative.
The hardest part was deciding which company to go with, they all sound the same! We pretty much talked to a rep from each company and felt more comfortable with CBR, I searched and searched for more info, but I couldn't find anything on who is better!
Call Cancer Care, or Make A Wish, or one of the Oncology Care Units in a reputable hospital, they see the direct link between companies and success rates, that's how we chose Viacord, plus Dr Parker from Stony Brook (head of pediatric oncology) is one of my mom's best friend's (she is on the board of Make a Wish and worked on pediatric oncology for many years).
emilain
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Posted by Calla
Viacord is $1800 for the collection and shipping fee, plus $125 each year after for ongoing storage.
If you go with Viacrod, and you work in the healtcare field, make sure you tell them, they give courtesy discounts. We paid about $1200 and pay $90 per year, this was with the courtesy healthcare discount
