The first pouch of precious, potentially lifesaving stem cells found its way into a cryogenic freezer in an inconspicuous research center in Gilbert last month.
Brigid Wilson, born Sept. 2 at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, became the first umbilical-cord-blood donor for the new Celebration Stem Cell Centre, which has its grand opening Thursday.
It is the Valley's first cord-blood bank and the only one in Arizona to offer free public donation services. Donated cord blood can be processed for adult stem cells and put onto a national transplant registry.
The Wilson family, including Brigid's parents Dave and Deidre, of Phoenix, were excited to advance what they believe is a promising field of science.
Cord-blood stem cells, drawn from a newborn's umbilical cord, have the potential to treat serious diseases such as cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and strokes.
"This is an area of science and medicine that has shown good potential," said Deidre, 35,a general practice physician. "I think people can do great good with something that's so simple and doesn't involve harm to anyone."
As the new blood bank's first donor family, the Wilsons said they hope to encourage more families to consider cord-blood banking or donation.
"Cord blood normally just goes to waste, so there's all that potential out there that families could be giving to a scientific effort," Deidre said.
Unlike embryonic stem cells, cord-blood research has not stirred controversy and is supported by conservative political groups including the Family Research Council.
For the Wilsons, who are Catholic, it's an important difference.
"We felt that embryonic stem cells are derived from the destruction of human embryos, whereas adult stem cells can come from all the different body tissues as well as the cord blood," Deidre said.
Dr. Nabil Dib, head of the Cardiovascular Research Center at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, has been using adult stem cells in clinical trials for people with heart failure and last year began treating heart-attack victims.
During treatment, doctors transplant the stem cells into a patient's heart via a catheter, without surgery. About a dozen stem cells are applied into and around the damaged heart tissue. The stem cells can then develop into heart cells and repair damaged tissue.
Dib is now also working with the Celebration Stem Cell Centre as medical director.
(Read more at The Arizona Republic)
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Posted by: online writing | March 22, 2011 at 10:20 AM