Cord blood banking as an employment benefit?

"When 31-year-old Amol Mohandas was to become a father last year, he was made an unusual offer by Starcom, the media company he worked for.

The company offered to pick up the tab, a one-time payment of Rs 59,000 for 21 years, if the father-to-be opted for cord-blood banking.

Cord-blood banking involves harvesting stem cells from the placenta and umbilical cord, normally discarded after the baby is born. The naïve baby cells from the umbilical cord are stored to be used at a later date to treat illnesses, including cancer, anaemia and so on."

That happened in India, according to The Hindu Business Line. It goes to show you how seriously the matter is taken in India and also hints toward possible similar efforts in the U.S. You can read the full article here. It's recommended.

Stem cell research and cord blood in India

"Stem cell research and therapy is gradually making its presence felt in India. Recognising this, the Indian Council of Medical Research and Department of Biotechnology are formulating national guidelines, science and technology minister Kapil Sibal announced last week."

That's according to Sejal Mody at DNA Evolutions.

Cord blood is an issue all over the world and this article goes past the stem cell matter in a general sense and discusses cord blood banking on the subcontinent. Check it out.

Florida TV Station Airs Cord Blood Story

One of those interviewed states that banking umbilical cord blood just makes sense. Check out the Tampa Channel 10 News report on cord blood banking here. It is not the most in-depth look at the issue, but it is nice to see mainstream media paying more attention to cord blood issues.

GPS HANDHELD

If you are gonna hit the high seas as a boater or sailer this summer, your first port of call should be the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. The NOAA allows mariners to download RNCs (raster navigational charts) free of charge. The government agency also updates the charts regularly for the ultimate in mariner safety. The second stop before one even looks at the water should be Northeast Marine Electronics. The knowledgeable people at Northeast Marine Electronics can add a great fish finder or a GPS Handheld device to your collection of essential gadgets. Check them out!

FATHERS DAY GIFTS

For those who don't think much good comes out of church, consider the experience of Sonora Dodd. She went to a Mothers Day sermon in 1909 and started thinking about her pap, William Smart. Wm. Smart was a war veteran who had raised six children on his own. Sonoro didn't like the oversight and began the push for a special day to honor fathers. All fathers owe a nod of appreciation to Sonora and that sermon! Today, you can give your father a great gourmet gift basket featuring tasty nuts, wines, cheeses and fruits. Fathers day gifts don't have to come preassembled, though. You can even custom build the perfect combo for your daddy.

Note About Advertising

Hi. This blog will occasionally feature entries that are written for advertising purposes. These posts will be clearly indicated by the use of the graphic found on this post. Many don't care for advertising, and that is completely understandable. Hopefully, by clearly marking the commercial posts the reading experience of those who prefer an ad-free environment will be disrupted less. Thank you.

off the topic of cord blood banking...

Remember how I mentioned that I would sometimes pass along information that isn't directly related to cord blood banking? Well, today is an example. I want to share some info I learned about car theft and car insurance prices.

GEICO (they of the lizard) reports that California is the #1 car theft state and they have some good recommendations to avoid being victimized. I read a long series of their hints that included how to handle "bump and rob" car jackers and different ways one can decrease the risk of theft. Some of it was good "old school" advice: park in visible areas, lock up, roll up every single window, etc. They had a neat idea about having your VIN etched on all windows, too. Apparently, car stealers don't want to go through the hassle of replacing tons of glass in order to be able to peddle a stole car.

Now, with respect to car insurance rates, I believe one of the best things a person can do is to go to a website like carinsurance.com and comparison shop among a ton of different insurers for the best possible deal. There is no reason not to find out if you might be able to save some money.

OK, that is my off-topic post for the today. Back soon with more cord blood banking info.

Tip for those interested in cord blood banking...

Cord blood banking can be expensive. The price may be dropping, but some of the better umbilical cord blood banks still charge a fair amount of money to maintain your family member's precious cord blood.

I am not in the business of giving investment advice, but I have been told that one way a person can earn more (and maybe take the sting out of that banking price tag) is by investing in precious metals. Buying gold coins, for instance, is an often-recommended plan.

Precious metals hold their value like crazy and history bears that out. Additionally, when things are politically contentious or economically uncertain, demand for precious metals goes up. When you think about our era and immediate future, that might give you good reason to consider investing.

Monex is a company that has been helping people add precious metals like gold coins to investment portfolios for nearly forty years. They have dealt with over 100,000 investors and have a lot of talent and experience in the field. If you are looking for a way to increase your value or protect your wealth, you might want to get in touch with them.

It won't make cord blood banking seem cheap, but it might make that investment a little easier to handle, too.

Cord Blood? No, off-topic, but very interesting...

Though cord blood remains the focus of this blog, and most of the entries will continue to involve issues relating to umbilical cord banking, sometimes one learns something off-topic they feel like sharing. A perfect example is Gebhart Properties. They have just started a new site about their awesome Hawaiian resort and ocean front rental vacation homes. They have some of the most exclusive locations pinned down, and offer some quality properties. Anyone considering a trip to the islands or looking for a Maui Condo should check them out.

As an example, their Kolea Villa is a three bedroom penthouse at the Waikoloa Beach Resort. Imagine over 2500 square feet, private elevators and a great view of the ocean! Amazing stuff.

In Old Lahaina, they have a two bedroom condo at the Mahana at Kaanapali Resort. This beauty is actually within 30 feet of the beach! That's what I call perfect.

7 Tips: Cord Blood Banking

by Peter Wallander

Are you pregnant? If you are, then you have undoubtedly seen advertisements for banking your babies cord blood. Cord blood banking has become a hot topic with parents-to-be recently. The reason is simple; the companies that store the cord blood tout the advantages to saving this once in a lifetime supply of stem cells. While the benefits of saving the cord blood from your newborn could be numerous, there are some things that should be taken into consideration. This article will help to provide you with a place to start on your journey for more information.

1- The proponents of cord blood banking state that this particular type of blood is needed to cure future diseases that the child or their close relatives may developed in the future. Diseases such as leukemia sickle cell anemia anything that may need a bone marrow transplant. The reason is that the cord blood will be a 100% match for the child, and at least a 25% match for siblings.

2- However, it is important to note also, that the costs associated with cord blood banking can be very high. One popular blood bank charges around $1500.00 for the initial storage and processing fees and $80.00 a month for storage after that. The blood is generally kept in storage until the donor (the newborn baby) is 21 years old. This is a significant investment, and needs to be given careful consideration.

3- If you are planning to save the cord blood from your newborn, it is very important that you do your research. You need to know the processing procedures, how many subscribers they currently have, if anyone has actually needed to use the cord blood that was stored, and if so, was it still viable? Ask also if the blood bank is a member of the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), this will help to ensure that they are a legitimate blood bank that is concerned with your personal situation.

4- After you have selected a few banks that you are interested in, you will need to do some checking into their financial situation. A reputable bank will allow you, at least, to read an over view of their financial statement. This is an important step because, if an institution is not economically sound, then the investment that you are making to preserve the cord blood is not safe.

5- If you are not interested in saving and, therefore paying for the cord blood banking, you may consider its donation. The procedures for collection are the same and pose no danger or pain to either you or to your child. However, this form of donation is a little different that a normal blood donation. This type of blood has the potential to unlock the mysteries of diseases and can be an important research tool. Before it can be used for that reason, you will need to sign a form stating that they have your permission to use the blood for research purposes.

6- You can also donate the cord blood to a person that is suffering from a medical condition such as leukemia or sickle cell anemia. If your child is a match for a bone marrow transfer, this cord blood could indeed save someone's life.

7- As you can see, there are different options that are available to you for the use of your child's cord blood. However, the costs can add up, if you are ever in a position where you cannot pay the storage fees, then the blood may go to waste, therefore, the costs need to be weighed against the potential gains.
About the Author

Visit http://about-cord-blood.net or http://cord-blood-online.info to learn more about cord blood registry and umbilical cord blood.

Cord Blood Carries A Universal Panacea

by Ashman

The human blood taken from the placenta and umbrical cord is known as cord blood. The cord blood is collected for the stem cells present in the blood. The umbrical cord blood is very rich in stem cells

The multipotent cord blood stem cells are very helpful to the medical science in treating many human diseases and disorders. They can effectively treat the health problems that were earlier treated using bone marrow stem cells. They are less likely to be rejected than bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. The cord blood stem cells are more active and have a higher chance of matching family members than stem cells from bone marrow. The medical science believes that fathers have a 25% chance of matching their child's cord blood stem cells.

The treatment using the cord blood stem cells is known as Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant Therapy. The therapy, developed in 1980s, has been used to treat 75 diseases and disorders since its discovery.

The medical science has, so far, used it successfully in treating many genetic diseases, cancers, and blood disorders including several types of anemia, leukemia, lymphoma, brain tumors, ewing's sarcoma, multiple myeloma, neuroblastoma, ovarian cancer, renal cell carcinoma, small-cell lung cancer, testicular cancer, waldenström macroglobulinemia etc.

Storage:

The cord blood is collected, after umbilical cord has been cut from the newborn. It's then stored in liquid nitrogen and cryopreserved in the cord blood banks for later use. The cryopreserved blood is preserved by cooling to low sub-zero temperatures, such as (typically) -80°C or -196°C, so that it can be used whenever need is there.

The new parents can get the cord blood stored or they can even donate it to a public cord blood bank.

Usage:

The cryopreserved cord blood is liquified and washed of the cryoprotectant, before injecting into the vein of the patient.

The treatment, in which the stem cells are collected from a different donor, is known as allogeneic treatment.

The treatment, in which the stem cells are collected from the same patient's cord blood, on whom they are used, is known as autologous and the treatment in which the stem cells are collected from identical individuals, is called syngeneic.

The xenogeneic transfer (between different species) of stem cells is under studies yet.
About the Author

Author provides the information about Cord Blood, Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant Therapy and it's Benefits. For more information about Health Care visit his site http://www.breakingupdate.com/articles/health-and-fitness.asp

Airsoft BB Guns?

I learn something new every day. Today, I found out about Airsoft guns. Ever hear of these things? Apparently, it all started decades ago in Japan. People their had a strong interest in guns, but the law was incredibly restrictive. Manufacturers started producing lookalike guns that shot plastic BBs using air propulsion. People love them, and the tred spread like wildfire. Today, the Airsoft guns are being sold in the U.S. by a company, Zephyr, long-involved with the paintgun hobby.

Apparently, these Airsoft pistols and rifles are nearly exact replicas of real guns--with one exception. They have a bright orange tip to clearly identify them as replicas. The guns are made of metal and with the exception of shooting relatively safe BBs and having a bright orange end (as required by law) they are ringers for the real deal.

Zephyr is bringing in a lot of these Airsoft Guns from producers like KWA and China Airsoft. I know this is a bit off topic, compared to our usual discussion of cord blood banking, but I thought it deserved a mention because it is something with which few of us are really familiar.