SEATTLE, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Several years spent establishing a regional, public cord blood program have paid off for Puget Sound Blood Center/Northwest Tissue Center, as the non-profit organization announced another large hospital has joined its list of partners. The addition of Bellevue-based Overlake Hospital Medical Center comes a few months after the Blood Center announced a relationship with the University of Washington Medical Center. As a result, the Cord Blood Program now partners with three of the region's top five birthing centers, which, in addition to Overlake Hospital and UW, includes Swedish Medical Center.
By partnering with such large hospitals in the region, the Blood Center/Tissue Center will increase the total number of high quality, cord blood units it collects and banks -- giving individuals in need of cord blood stem cell transplants a greater chance of finding a match. "Bankable" units contain higher stem cell concentrations and are more likely to result in successful transplants.
"Naturally, the Blood Center's partnerships with Overlake Hospital and the University of Washington are exciting developments," said Dr. Jonathan Drachman, medical director of the program and a Blood Center researcher. "With greater availability of high quality cord blood, research-based organizations such as ours are not only to provide cord blood for transplant, but also to make advances that will improve our ability to help people suffering from a variety of diseases."
Drachman also noted that the program is seeking to add greater racial diversity to the cord blood supply by seeking partnerships with specific hospitals. In addition to participating hospitals in Seattle, the program receives cord blood donated at four in Hawaii -- Kapi'olani, Tripler, Queen's and Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers.
Launched in 1997 after medical researchers determined that cord blood stem cells could treat many of the same diseases as bone marrow transplants, the Cord Blood Program presents expectant mothers the opportunity to save lives by donating their umbilical cord blood. This material is rich in stem cells used to treat patients with leukemia, sickle cell anemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, immune deficiency disorders, bone marrow deficiencies and many other life- threatening diseases. The cord blood units banked by the program are listed on the National Marrow Donor Program registry where they can be searched by transplant facilities around the world.
Overlake Hospital noted that greater national awareness of cord blood's lifesaving potential has increased patient interest in participating in the program.
"As public awareness of the need for transplantable stem cells increases, we have experienced considerable interest from expectant families," said Julie Wehmeyer, MN, RCN, director of Overlake Hospital's Women's and Children's Services. "By offering the opportunity for Overlake's patients to donate their cord blood, we are contributing to a valuable community program and meeting the requests of our community."
With private, for-profit cord blood programs proliferating across the country, Overlake Hospital preferred to offer their patients the opportunity to donate to a non-profit organization that shares the same community based goals.
The Blood Center's Cord Blood Program underwent a thorough review process by the hospital's Institutional Review Board (IRB), an entity that exists to protect patients who choose to participate in new medical programs.
As the only non-profit community cord blood bank in Western Washington, the Blood Center trains hospital medical staff and provides the medical expertise for processing, storing and distributing the blood collected from donated umbilical cord blood.
Participating hospitals now include Swedish Medical Center's Ballard and First Hill campuses, UW Medical Center, Overlake Hospital Medical Center, as well as Kapi'olani, Tripler, Queen's and Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers in Hawaii. To learn more about the Cord Blood program, call 206-292-1896 or 1-800-DONATE-1, extension 1896 or visit http://www.psbc.org/.
About Northwest Tissue Center
Northwest Tissue Center is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit, community-sponsored tissue bank established to provide high-quality human tissue and cells for transplant to patients in the Northwest. In addition to the donations of cord blood made at the time of birth, the program depends on contributions made by generous people who have consented to donation after the death of a family member. Bone, tendons, skin grafts and heart valves can significantly improve the quality of life for transplant recipients by preventing amputation, restoring mobility, relieving pain and sometimes saving lives. The Tissue Center, a department of the non-profit Puget Sound Blood Center, was established in 1988. For more information, visit the Tissue Center at http://www.nwtc.org/.
About Puget Sound Blood Center
Celebrating 60 years in the community, the Blood Center is internationally recognized for groundbreaking research in transfusion and transplantation medicine. The nonprofit Blood Center is the resource for patients in Western Washington who need blood, tissue and specialized laboratory services. Founded in 1944, the Blood Center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients' lives. The organization directly affects the lives of over half million patients annually in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 counties of Washington State and provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest.
About Overlake Medical Center
Overlake Hospital Medical Center is a 337-bed, not-for-profit regional medical center offering a full range of advanced medical services to the Puget Sound Region. Overlake is the only Level III Trauma Center in eastern Puget Sound. The hospital is distinguished for its cardiac services and its award winning surgical services. Overlake has been ranked as a top 100 heart program in the country and is rated as a top performer in the state of Washington. Major service areas include: cardiac surgery, cardiology, surgical services, cancer center, women's and children's services, childbirth center, Level III NICU, behavioral health, senior care, sleep disorders center and women's clinic. Overlake is also involved in several national clinical trials. Overlake Hospital Medical Center employs more than 2,200 people and has more than 800 active and courtesy physicians on staff. For more information, visit the hospital's Web site at http://www.overlakehospital.org/.
Puget Sound Blood CenterCONTACT: Steve McLean of Puget Sound Blood Center, +1-206-292-6511, orpager +1-206-680-2610
Web site: http://www.nwtc.org/
Web site: http://www.overlakehospital.org/
Web site: http://www.psbc.org/
