A new centre for the collection of vital cord blood donations has been opened by Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron.
NHS Blood and Transplant and St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust have established the fifth site at which mothers can donate cord blood. Cord blood is the blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born. It is rich in stem cells and can be provided to help patients whose bone marrow is not working properly due to disease or medical treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Donations to the NHS Cord Blood Bank are given on a voluntary basis and can potentially help any patient in need of a cord blood transplant.
