Your baby's cord blood could save a life

More than 35,000 units of cord blood have been collected by Queensland Cord Blood Bank at the Mater and two other public cord blood banks in Australia, providing a lifeline for patients with leukaemia, blood disorders and genetic diseases. #worldcordblood

Queensland Cord Blood Bank at the Mater is one of three government-funded public banks in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, collectively known as AusCord. As of 30 June 2017, AusCord had  released 1,400 units of cord blood for transplantation in patients who did not have a suitable bone marrow donor.

By donating your baby’s cord blood to Queensland Cord Blood Bank at the Mater, you could also provide a lifeline to a child suffering from leukaemia.

Traditionally the placenta and umbilical cord are discarded after childbirth. In the ultimate form of medical recycling, Queensland Cord Blood Bank at the Mater can collect blood from the placenta via the umbilical cord (cord blood) and freeze and store this to create a bank of blood-forming stem cells, which are similar to those found in bone marrow.

You can find out more about donating your baby’s cord blood by visiting: http://www.matermothers.org.au/services/queensland-cord-blood-bank

Download the Mater Cord Blood Bank Booklet here.