Cord Blood Donation for Mother's Day

Hawai'i News Now: Sunrise recently interviewed Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank's Program Director, Nola Faria. You may view the video by clicking here.

"A cord blood transplant is a potentially life-saving treatment for more than 70 different diseases, including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia. Nationally, in 2014, Be The Match® facilitated 960 cord blood transplants.

Patients are most likely to find a matching cord blood unit from someone of a similar race or ethnicity. This is because the tissue types used to match patients with donors are inherited. More donors are needed from all races and ethnicities, so that more patients can be helped.

There is no cost to donate to a public cord blood bank and it is completely safe for both mother and baby. Cord blood is collected immediately after a baby is born and does not interfere with labor or delivery in any way.

Publicly donated cord blood units that meet criteria are listed on the national Be The Match Registry® and made available to any patient in need of a cord blood transplant."