Stem cell security

Umbilical cord blood banked to fight ailments

Gary Thompson/ViewDr. Geoffrey O?Neill, director of lab operations at Cord Blood America, processes blood samples on Jan. 13 inside the lab at the company?s new headquarters at 1857 Helm Drive. The site officially opened on Jan. 22. Gary Thompson/ViewFrom left, lab technician Heranne Silva, quality assurance manager Sharon Little, director of lab operations Dr. Geoffrey O?Neill and lab technician Marti Schaake work inside the laboratory at Cord Blood America, Jan. 13. Advertisement

In the weeks leading up to their firstborn's birth in 2003, Craig and Karen Irwin decided to explore what they now consider "the greatest life insurance policy" they could ever purchase.

The Bethesda, Md., couple decided to cryogenically freeze and store their son Wesley's umbilical cord blood in hopes that one day, if needed, it would be a life-saving resource.

Cord blood stem cells offer a potentially life-saving resource for treating a growing number of hematologic and genetic disorders and ailments, such as cancer, leukemia and immune disorders.

"For those who can afford to participate in the process, you would kick yourself if you didn't do it," Craig Irwin said.

After researching their options, the Irwins went forward with the process and then again two years later with the birth of their daughter.

Now, the cord blood is stored in a newly opened storage facility in Las Vegas.

On Jan. 22, Cord Blood America opened the doors of its new headquarters, located at 1857 Helm Drive. Cord Blood America Inc., parent company of CorCell Companies Inc. and Cord Partners Inc., facilitates umbilical cord blood stem cell presentation for parents and their children.

Before, the then Los Angeles-based company didn't process and store the cord blood in one location. Chief operating officer Matthew Schissler said Las Vegas provided many of the logistical elements needed for the headquarters:

* Space: the facility is one of the largest cryogenic storage facilities in the U.S.

* Proximity: the location is near McCarran International Airport, which is essential, as specimens need to be processed and stored within 72 hours of birth.

* Accessibility: Schissler said the ability to get to about a third of the country within an hour of air travel also appealed to the company.

Although the immediacy of the processing is paramount, Schissler said the work being done in Cord Blood America laboratories is more an investment in the future of medicine.

About 20,000 samples made the move to the new Las Vegas headquarters in the company's 12 tanks filled with liquid nitrogen. Families pay an initial fee of $2,075 and a yearly fee to store the samples, which are available for their private use, Schissler said.

Dr. Geoffrey O'Neill, who has more than 35 years of experience in hematological medicine, walked through the process of receiving the sample in his stem cell lab at the facility.

Each 100- to 120-milliliter sample is entered into a computer system and assigned a bar code -- "We want to make sure that the same sample specimen is matched to the person," O'Neill said -- before going through a process to separate red and white blood cells. The final volume is yielded into a small pouch and frozen. The whole process is sterile and never exposed to the atmosphere, said O'Neill, director of lab operations.

The FDA-licensed company complies with federal regulations and standards, as well, Schissler said.

When Los Angeles resident Sara Stanley decided to bank her daughter's umbilical cord blood, she said dealing with a privatized cord blood banking company afforded her added peace of mind.

"After I sent the banking kit away on the medical courier, I knew where it was going," she said.

The kit Stanley referred to is the equipment the company sends to the family, which then informs the delivery staff. A medical courier picks up the kit after the birth and brings it to the Las Vegas facility within about 48 hours. The sample must be processed in 72 hours total or it is no longer viable, Schissler said.

"It's good to know that I was able to do that for her," Stanley said of her 15-month-old daughter Zemrie.

For parents such as the Irwins and Stanley, the new facility allows for peeks into the process. There are windows into the lab and a tank room for future tours.

Aside from the future medical advancements the lab is participating in, O'Neill said the company is exploring future technology with fat tissue and tooth pulp.

"I'm very glad I made the decision," Stanley said. "It's an insurance hopefully I won't use, but I'm glad I have it."

For more information on Cord Blood America, call 914-7250 or visit www.cordblood-america.com.

Contact Centennial and Southeast View reporter Maggie Lillis at mlillis@viewnews.com or 477-3839.