Five years ago, while I was
pregnant with my son, my OBGYN approached us about storing my baby’s cord blood
upon birth. Due to the cost of this procedure, we decided to do some research
to make sure this was the right choice for us. During my research, I found out
that cord blood can be used to treat cancers, blood disorders, immune
disorders, metabolic disorders, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, pediatric stroke,
traumatic brain injury, and hearing loss. After reading the lists of treatable
disorders and diseases, I watched videos of children making a remarkable
recovery after a cord blood transplant.
One of the videos, about a little
girl named Chloe Levine, really stood out to me. Chloe had Cerebral Palsy, and
at one year old, her parents were told that she would never be able to use one side
of her body. In the video, you saw Chloe scooting and unable to hold things
with her right hand. Her parents were determined to help Chloe, so she
underwent an experimental procedure at Duke University where she was infused
with her own cord blood stem cells. Her parents stated that just a week after
the treatment Chloe started speaking. Then, the stiffness in her right side
started disappearing. Now, Chloe is able to walk, run, do sign language, and talk.
Ironically, as I watched the
video, I noticed that my friend’s son showed the same signs as Chloe. He too
was diagnosed with Cerebal Palsy, and at this point, had tried Botox. After
showing my friend this video, they contacted their cord blood company, CBR,
about a treatment. Just like Chloe, he made a remarkable recovery. His video is
now featured on the CBR site.
When it came time to give birth
to my son, we did bank the cord blood. To me, it was like an insurance policy
that we couldn’t risk not having. Many parents of children with disabilities do
not know that this treatment is available. If you did not store your child’s
cord blood, and he or she is diagnosed with one of the disorders or diseases
above, you can contact CBR for a donor treatment. If your baby has been
identified at pregnancy or birth with one of the treatable diseases or disorders,
you can be eligible for the Newborn Possibilities Program that helps provide
free cord blood.
I am so glad that I watched Chloe’s
video that day, and got to share her story with my friend. And today, I am glad
I got to share it with you. I think it is very important for all of us in the
special needs community to keep sharing, so we know all of our options out
there.
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