Birthdays’ lifeline

By Ed Merrison
WHY not begin your time in the world by giving the greatest gift of all? Life.
It is an option exercised by babies and their mothers in Ferntree Gully since the Angliss Hospital began its umbilical cord blood donor service three years ago.
Cord blood, rich in blood-forming stem cells and a useful alternative to conventional bone marrow transplantation, can save the lives of children or adults with leukaemia and other blood disorders.
Kelly Grieve, whose seven-month-old baby Ethan became the service’s 1000th donor after his birth in February, said giving cord blood meant providing an amazing resource without any hassle.
Ms Grieve encouraged all prospective mothers to donate cord blood, which is extracted when the umbilical cord is cut.
“It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s not like it costs you anything and it can save somebody’s life,” she said.
“You don’t need your cord blood – otherwise it just goes in the trash – so it’s a waste not to give it to sick kids.”
Ms Grieve was one of several mothers at a party to mark the hospital’s third year as part of the National Cord Collection Network on Thursday, 31 August.
The mothers were joined by Health Minister Bronwyn Pike and staff at the Angliss, which is one of only three participating hospitals in Victoria.
Donations meeting strict criteria are taken at the hospital and sent to specialist nurses at the Bone Marrow Donor Institute cord blood bank, which is based at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Jenny Forrester, co-ordinator of the Angliss program, said Melbourne’s was an extremely healthy blood bank and the Angliss scheme a highly successful one.
“It’s become a very popular program, with probably the majority of our mothers wanting to give their cord blood.
“When you think it’s normally discarded and can save somebody’s life, it’s incredible really,” she said.
Ms Forrester said the donations came from the kindness of a mother’s – and a baby’s – heart.
“It’s great to start your life off with a good deed,” she said.