Cord blood has been used for more than 30 years. Many people know it as an alternative or even superior choice for stem cell transplants to treat many forms of cancer including leukemia, lymphoma, etc. However, cord blood has also shown tremendous potential in the treatment of certain genetic diseases, such as Hurler Syndrome (MPS Type 1). 

On April 4, 2016, at seven months old, Lyla Rose Edgington was diagnosed at Phoenix Children’s Hospital with a rare, progressive genetic disorder, Hurler syndrome. Hurler Syndrome is a progressive genetic disease. If you don’t treat it, it will gradually cause severe physical and mental damage. Lyla’s parents knew this and this is why timing was so crucial in her case.

Her doctors said she needed a stem cell transplant and that cord blood would give her the best chances at overcoming this life-threatening genetic disorder.​ They were referred to Dr. Paul Orchard at the University of Minnesota who explained that transplants for MPS patients have greatly improved over the last several years. 

It was a race against the clock as the disease was constantly working against them, deteriorating brain cells. Luckily, a match was found and it was a perfect 6 out of 6 match! The transplant date was set for July 25th, 2016. Nearly seven years after receiving a successful cord blood stem cell transplant, Lyla and her parents want to spread awareness about the benefits of public cord blood donation.

Join us for this inspirational and educational LIVE session featuring Dr. Paul Orchard and Lyla's parents! Together, they will help us to discover the potential of this valuable medical resource and open our eyes to possible new applications to treat genetic diseases with cord blood. 

SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Dr. Paul Orchard 
University of Minnesota Medical Director of the Inherited Metabolic
and Storage Disease Program and a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics,
Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy

and family of Lyla Edgington
Cord Blood Transplant Recipient for Hurler Syndrome
 
"Cord Blood for Hurler Syndrome (MPS Type 1)" 
Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Tuesday, December 19th 2pm US Eastern Time / 11am US Pacific Time

RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE

For almost 40 years, cord blood transplants have been used in the treatment of more than 80 different life-threatening diseases, most notably leukemia and lymphoma. In recent years, transplant doctors and researchers have pushed cord blood well beyond traditional transplant. In particular, there has been an interest in further refining the cord blood transplant process through various manipulations and combinations so as to better respond to a particular patient's needs and to ultimately expand access and improve outcomes. Dr. van Besien has been a leading figure in this research.

For this exclusive webinar, we have asked Dr. van Besien to tell us about the use of cord blood for his transplant patients and to discuss its advantages/disadvantages when compared to other stem cell sources. In addition, Dr. van Besien will discuss his research regarding the innovation of haplo-cord transplants and how this new process could help expand access and improve outcomes for certain high risk patients. In particular, he will discuss the use of cord blood in the treatment of HIV (namely the New York Patient) and in the mangement of hematological malignancies.

Important topics Dr. van Besien will cover include:

• The role of donor choice in transplant outcomes.
• The potential advantages of umbilical cord blood in disease control.
• The role umbilical cord blood can play in transplants for adults.
• Important research on HIV (New York Patient) and umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants.

SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Dr. Koen van Besien
Blood and Marrow Transplant Division Chief,
Seidman Cancer Center at University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio
 
"The Enduring Promise of Cord Blood" 
Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Wednesday, March 29th 2pm US Eastern Time / 11am US Pacific Time

RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE
via the Share the Science Archive

Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) in children often requires a stem cell transplant. Doctors often hope to find a matched sibling for the pediatric patient in need of a hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). However, when a matched sibling cannot be identified doctors turn to other sources of stem cells from bone marrow and/or cord blood. At this point, doctors will search for matches from possible donors and then begin a delicate decision making process to choose the best stem cell source for their patient. But, what is the "best source" of stem cells? What factors must the transplant team consider?

Relapse and Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD) are both potential risks for pediatric patients post transplant. Both can be debilitating or life-threatening to the child.  Transplant teams work daily to balance these risks with the risk of the cancer itself. Multi-center studies provide these medical teams with much needed observations from real world use of various stem cell sources in transplant. Analysis of these observations is critical to the fight against cancer and efforts to find a cure. 

For this reason, we are very pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Stefanski from NMDP BeTheMatch who will discuss in detail a recent multi-center study comparing stem cell sources. Presenting data from "The influence of stem cell source on transplant outcomes for pediatric patients with acute myeloid leukemia" (published by Blood Advances), Dr. Stefanski will review outcomes of more than 300 patients receiving stem cell transplants from cord blood, matched unrelated donors, sibling donors and more. She will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each and show the overall conclusions of this multi-center study.

Join us on February 28th for this fascinating, in-depth discussion led by a recognized expert in the field of stem cell transplants, Dr. Heather Stefanski. Free and open to all, this webinar is highly recommended for healthcare professionals, transplant teams and those working in cancer research. Likewise, we encourage OBGYNs, nurses, midwives and others who work with expectant parents to watch this webinar so that they can learn how cord blood stem cells are used on a daily basis in the treatment leukemia, particularly in children. 

SHARE THE SCIENCE
with
Dr. Heather Stefanski
Senior Vice President of Medical Services
for Be The Match / National Marrow Donor Program
 
"The Influence of Umbilical Cord Blood on
Treatment for Acute Myeloid Leukemia" 
Free webinar.  Open to the public.
​
Tuesday, February 28th 2pm US Eastern Time / 11am US Pacific Time

View the recording now in the Share the Science Archive.
​

Key to NMDP Be The Match's success is education! In addition to the webinar session with Dr. Stefanski, the cord blood team at NMDP Be The Match has shared numerous resources expanding on the topic of cord blood and how it is matched to patients in need: 

• Ebook - Cord Blood Transplant: https://network.bethematchclinical.org/transplant-centers/cord-blood-transplant/ 
• Cord Blood Practice Guidelines: https://network.bethematchclinical.org/transplant-centers/cord-blood-practice-guidelines/ 
• Cord Blood Consultation:  https://network.bethematchclinical.org/transplant-centers/search-and-testing/search-services/cord-blood-consultation/ 
• HCT Graft Source Selection - Cord Blood:  https://network.bethematchclinical.org/education/education-catalog/hct-graft-source-selection--cord-blood/ 
• Webinar on Graft Source Selection:  https://www2.network.bethematchclinical.org/l/566592/2021-04-06/hz32mn?_ga=2.161300285.1078025001.1686580602-284608465