Why is there a need for a public donor umbilical cord program?
More than 70 percent of children and adults requiring a bone marrow transplant do not have an immune matched sibling.  Of those, 50 percent will be able to find a matched unrelated donor through the national bone marrow registries. Cord blood that has been immunologically typed and frozen offers an opportunity as an alternate transplant source.  By collecting umbilical cord blood from donors of different ethnic backgrounds, a larger number of patients will benefit.  The Saint Luke’s Cord Blood program is a public donor program that in cooperation with the St. Louis Cord Blood Bank, serves as a world wide resource for children and adults in need of a stem cell transplant.  Stored umbilical cord blood units can be shipped and used at a time that is optimal for the patient.