Arizona Governor Ducey Proclaims Cord Blood Day - November 15th, 2021

Save the Cord Foundation is thrilled to announce that the Governor of Arizona, Douglas Ducey has made an official proclamation making November 15th CORD BLOOD DAY for the state. 

This proclamation coincides with celebrations worldwide for World Cord Blood Day, held on November 15th, 2021.

In the proclamation, Governor Ducey recognized why cord blood is so important: 

• cord blood stem cells can be used to treat and cure over 70 life threatening diseases;
• donated cord blood units can be listed on the nation NMDP / Be The Match Registry where they are made available to any patient in need of a transplant or provided to Arizona researchers working on curing blood cancers and other diseases;
• collecting and adding diverse units of cord blood is important because individuals of certain ethnic and mixed backgrounds are dramatically under represented on the national cord blood inventory.  Adding diverse units of umbilical cord blood to the registry increases the likelihood that patients from communities all across Arizona will find a life-saving cord blood match;
• cord blood stem cell education also plays an important part in the STEM career platform for Arizona youth, students, and the bioscience community;
• the Arizona Department of Health Services and the Arizona Biomedical Research Center, have partnered with Valleywise Health Medical Center, Dignity Health - St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Services, Dignity Health - Chandler Regional Medical Center, Tucson Medical Center and Save the Cord Foundation. 

Learn more about the Arizona Public Cord Blood Program.