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Transplant stories

Real Treatments. Real Families. Real Hope.

Smart Cells was the first private UK stem cell bank to release samples for transplant — proving that family cord blood banking is not just about storage, but about delivering real therapies when they are needed most.

Why Stem Cell Transplants Matter

At some point in life, your child or family member may need access to stem cell therapy. Today, these treatments are being used for:

  • Blood cancers such as leukaemia and lymphoma
  • Inherited genetic disorders including thalassemia and sickle cell disease
  • Neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy and brain injury
  • Immune deficiencies and metabolic disorders
  • Emerging therapies for sports injuries, inflammatory conditions, and skin repair

By preserving your baby’s umbilical cord blood and tissue, you safeguard access to these life-saving and life-enhancing possibilities.

Proven Track Record

Smart Cells has released more stem cell samples for treatment than any other private UK bank, with a 100% success rate for every sample delivered to clinicians worldwide.

These samples have helped children and families across the globe face illnesses such as:

  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Thalassemia
  • Leukaemia
  • HSV Encephalitis
  • Immune system disorders

Each transplant is more than a statistic — it represents a child given new options, and a family given hope.

A Milestone for Families and for Science

Every successful release shows how far the field of stem cell research has advanced. What was once only a possibility is now a proven therapy.

Yet many parents are still unaware of the benefits of storing their baby’s cord blood and tissue. Smart Cells is working to change that — by raising awareness, sharing real transplant stories, and supporting research into the next generation of regenerative treatments.

Powered by FamiCord: Europe’s Stem Cell Leader in banking and use of cells

As part of the FamiCord Group, Europe’s largest family stem cell bank and one of the world’s top three:

  • Families gain access to 1,000,000+ stored cord blood units across the network
  • Therapies are supported by specialist research centres and clinical teams in 35+ countries including FamiCord Programme for brain disorders
  • FamiCordTx, the group’s advanced therapies division, is actively developing new cell-based treatments to extend the possibilities for families everywhere

Together, Smart Cells and FamiCord stand at the forefront of innovation, offering parents confidence today — and hope for tomorrow.

FamiCord Group releases

Patients

7800+

Expand table
No. Source Source type Diagnosis Medical sector Year of application Therapy Country Age of the recipient
101 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myeloid Leukemia (Relapse) Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 66
102 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 70
103 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 42
104 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Netherlands 57
105 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Polycythaemia Vera Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 61
106 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic CMML – Beginning Relapse Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Netherlands 63
107 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Australia 64
108 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 76
109 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Switzerland 66
110 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Finland 40
111 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic T-Cell Prolymphocytic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Norway 64
112 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Spain 47
113 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 66
114 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Czechia 68
115 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 26
116 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myeloid Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 67
117 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myeloid Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 51
118 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 67
119 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 30
120 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Hungary 10
121 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 63
122 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia / MDR Relapse hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Ukraine 39
123 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 70
124 Bone Marrow Family Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 72
125 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 3
126 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Hungary 62
127 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Fanconi Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Austria 7
128 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Belgium 12
129 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Combined Immunodeficiency Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Belgia 3
130 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 60
131 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 7
132 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 4
133 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 8
134 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Other Immune System Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 5
135 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Czechia 5
136 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 19
137 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 11
138 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Austria 16
139 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 32
140 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 16
141 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Other Malignancy Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 5
142 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Mixed type Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 1
143 Bone Marrow Allogeneic OIID, Chronic Granulomatous Disease CGD Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 2
144 Bone Marrow Allogeneic GATA2 deficiency Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Belgium 12
145 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 48
146 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 47
147 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy United Kingdom 80
148 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy United Kingdom 15
149 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia / AA Amyloidosis Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy United Kingdom 24
150 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Turkey 8
151 Bone Marrow Allogeneic SCID Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 1
152 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 58
153 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Pure Red Cell Aplasia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 29
154 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Combined Immunodeficiency Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 19
155 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 21
156 Bone Marrow Allogeneic B-thalassemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Netherlands 15
157 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Very Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Slovakia 31
158 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Austria 3
159 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 12
160 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Diamond Blackfan Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Slovakia 9
161 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Brazil 62
162 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Griscelli syndrome type 2 Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Canada 39
163 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 47
164 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 21
165 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Hungary 10
166 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 70
167 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 6
168 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia CR2 Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Spain 9
169 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 7
170 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Hungary 23
171 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 8
172 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 20
173 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 1
174 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 13
175 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 2 months
176 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 3
177 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 26
178 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Hungary 9
179 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Spain 61
180 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 2
181 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Other Leukaemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 1
182 Bone Marrow Allogeneic – Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 16
183 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Belarus 2
184 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy United Kingdom 11
185 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Sickle Cell Disease hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Netherlands 18
186 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 6
187 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Fanconi Anemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 7
188 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Other Combined Immunodeficiency hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 8 months
189 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Spain 14
190 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Poland 3
191 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Myelodysplastic Syndrome hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Italy 1
192 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Severe Aplastic Anemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy USA 76
193 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 38
194 Bone Marrow Allogeneic Sickle cell disease hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Netherlands 17
195 Apheresis Autologous Multiple Myeloma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 61
196 Apheresis Autologous Plasmablastic Lymphoma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 69
197 Apheresis Autologous Multiple Myeloma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Germany 60
198 Apheresis Autologous Multiple Myeloma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Portugal 54
199 Apheresis Autologous Multiple Myeloma Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy Portugal 67
200 Apheresis Allogeneic Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Hematology 2026 Standard Therapy France 68
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Stem cell transplantation has become an established procedure

700,000

cord blood collections have been undertaken globally

50,000

hematopoietic stem cell transplants take place every year

400/500

of these transplants are in Europe

Our transplant stories

Smart Cells have released 24 UK
samples to six countries.

Stem cells hold the key to more than 80 life-changing treatments, with clinical trials underway on many more. Replacing damaged cells and tissue, they can even save a child’s life.

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100% infusion success rate

For samples released for transplant.

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3 months – 12 yrs old

Stored cord blood samples have been successfully released for use in transplant for children aged as little as 3 months to 12 years old.

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46% self | 54% siblings

Smart Cells have successfully released stored cord blood samples that have been used for treatment with the child it was collected from and also siblings.

Smart Cells releases

UK samples released

24

Expand table
Sample release date Medical condition Recipient relationship Age of the recipient Unit volume Medical center Country
2005.11 Thalassemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 4 Years 144ml Mount Vernon Hospital Singapore
2005.11 Leukaemia Allogeneic (Sibling) Restricted Restricted Stem Cells and Immunology Department, Birmingham UK
2007.02 Thalassemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 7 Years 76ml Kinderlink der Tu Munchen Germany
2009.08 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 3 Years 51ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2010.01 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 3 Years 81ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2013.10 Thalassemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 5 Years 58ml Catherine Lewis Centre, Hammersmith UK
2014.01 Leukaemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 4 Years 71ml Medizinische Hochschule, Hanover Germany
2014.05 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 1 year 68ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2014.06 HSV Encephalitis & NMDA Receptor Antibody Virus Autologous (Self) 2 Years 57ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2014.08 Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) Autologous (Self) 3 Months 39ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2015.02 Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) Autologous (Self) 6 Months 53ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2015.03 Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Autologous (Self) 3 Months 74ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2015.03 Sickle Cell Disease Allogeneic (Sibling) 2 .5 Years 57ml BLK Hospital, New Delhi India
2015.11 Thalassemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 12 Years 87ml Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC USA
2016.03 Cerebral Palsy Allogeneic (Sibling) 6 Years 101ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2017.04 Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (^1) N/A (Identical twin girls) Restricted 125ml Bambin Gesu Childrens’ Hospital, Rome Italy
2017.06 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 7 Years 82ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2017.06 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 3.4 Years 132ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2018.03 Autism Autologous (Self) 5.4 Years 73ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2018.03 Cerebral Palsy Autologous (Self) 3.4 years 132ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2019.06 Cerebral Palsy Allogeneic (Sibling) 3 Years 104ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2022.02 Cerebral Palsy Allogeneic (Sibling) 11 Years 185ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2023.08 Cerebral Palsy Allogeneic (Sibling) 3 Years 46ml Duke University, North Carolina USA
2024.01 Thalassaemia Allogeneic (Sibling) 8 Years 45ml Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center USA
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