Making the decision to donate your baby’s cord blood is an important one.

Canadian Blood Services’ Cord is a national program that recruits healthy, volunteer mothers delivering at one of five designated collection hospitals across the country. As it is a public cord blood bank, donated cord blood units are collected at no charge.

Eligible blood stem cells from the umbilical cord and placenta are tested and stored at Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank, and eligible units are available for any patient in or world-wide in need of an unrelated stem cell transplant.

At any given time, there are hundreds of Canadian patients searching for a stem cell donor. If they are unable to find a match within their family, patients rely on unrelated volunteer donors. Stem cells can be derived from bone marrow, blood, or cord blood and can help in the treatment and cure of a wide variety of conditions.

By donating your baby’s cord blood, you could be helping a patient like Nadia.

To learn more, visit www.blood.ca/cordblood

Where to donate Canadian Blood Services’ Cord Blood Bank collects at five (5) hospitals in four (4) cities: (at Civic and General campuses), Brampton (Greater Toronto Area – GTA), Edmonton and Vancouver.

How to donate

Download and read the donation kit for Ottawa. Give your completed consent form to your healthcare provider during one of your prenatal visits, or bring it with you on your delivery day and tell your nurse your intent to donate.

Cord blood is collected in one of two ways: 1. In utero — meaning your hospital physician or licensed midwife collects the cord blood after your baby is delivered, before the placenta is delivered 2. Ex utero — meaning designated Canadian Blood Services personnel collect your cord blood after your baby and placenta have been delivered.

If your baby’s cord blood unit qualifies, a nurse will visit you to collect additional information before you leave the hospital which includes a second consent, blood work and a questionnaire.

Translation services

Free interpreter and translation services are offered in Punjabi and Chinese for mothers whose first language is not English. These services are provided by board certified interpreters and translators who meet the highest industry standards.

Contact [email protected] to request this service. To ensure all required forms are complete and received before your delivery, 6-8 weeks’ notice is required. /CANADIANBLOODSERVICES

@ITSINYOUTOGIVE

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