In this conversation, Marcie Finney, the Executive Director of Cleveland Cord Blood Center, discusses the mission and work of the organization. The mission of the Cleveland Cord Blood Centre is to advance umbilical cord blood cell therapy treatments, saving lives, enhancing health, and expanding knowledge one birth at a time. The organization is a public umbilical cord blood bank where families can donate their cord blood for research and to treat people with leukemia.
Marcie explains that there is a disparity in availability for stem cell transplants, with Caucasians having a higher chance of finding a match than those of different ethnic backgrounds. She also highlights the altruistic nature of cord blood donation and the potential benefits of storing one's own cord blood for future use. Marcie discusses the process of cord blood donation and the challenges faced by public cord blood banks in terms of partnerships with hospitals.
She explains that public banking options are not available everywhere, which limits the opportunity for donation. Marcie also addresses common reasons why people may not donate their cord blood, such as lack of awareness and concerns about the use of cord blood in research involving animals. She emphasizes the importance of educating the public about cord blood donation and the need for support of the public banking system.
Marcie goes on to discuss the significance of cord blood in stem cell transplants for treating leukemia and the process of regrowing the immune system. She explains that cord blood is a valuable resource because it contains stem cells that are less exposed to viruses and environmental factors compared to adult stem cells.
Marcie also touches on the future vision and plans of the Cleveland Cord Blood Centre, which includes expanding the use of cord blood in regenerative medicine and partnering with researchers for new therapies. The conversation concludes with a discussion on engagement and the importance of financial support for the organization. The podcast hosts express their gratitude for the conversation and the opportunity to learn more about cord blood donation and its impact on saving lives.
The Center strives to foster greater awareness of the life-giving and lifesaving potential that cord blood stem cells hold.
Want to learn more, donate, or get engaged?

Donate: https://clevelandcordblood.org/contribute/
Phone: +1 (216) 896-0360
Email: info@clevelandcordblood.org
Website: https://clevelandcordblood.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clevecordblood
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cleveland-cord-blood-center/
Twitter: @clevecordblood