Pauline Bailey and family
In June 2015 I was diagnosed with mixed phenotype acute myeloid leukaemia. AML is one of the most aggressive forms of leukaemia and goes from zero to 100% cancer cells in 4-8 weeks. I needed a course of intensive high-strength chemotherapy followed by a stem cell transplant in 2015 to save my life. I underwent my transplant in October 2015 but first needed to find a stem cell donor match.
If umbilical cord stem cell storage had existed when I was born, it would have eliminated my wait to find a donor and reduced the effects of the stem cell transplant caused by the donor’s rather than my own cells.
I cannot recommend the services of Future Health Biobank enough. As my son and daughter-in-law are expecting their first baby in January 2020, cord blood banking was a no brainer and the most amazing Christmas present I could have gifted to them both.
My son and daughter-in-law were extremely emotional to receive their special gift and although we hope they never need to use this, we can only imagine that if they’re ever in the unfortunate situation of sitting in front of a consultant and are told a life saving stem cell transplant is needed for their baby, they will have the reassurance and confidence of knowing that Future Health Biobank have the potential cure sitting in storage. It will be a 100% match for their baby or a 25% chance of perfectly matching a sibling.
This gift is so important to me and my family.