Dawn Quest
Dawn was one of Smart Cells very early customers, storing for her son Taig in December 2001. Dawn runs a website called Meals Our Kids Love! which features kid-friendly recipes, tips and advice to help make family mealtimes a little bit easier. She is also a trained personal and business coach. Prior to setting up the website, she was a Senior Business News Producer for BBC1’s Breakfast News and for CNN in Hong Kong and London and has been a journalist for the past 20 years.
We asked Dawn to tell us a little bit more about why she decided to store her son’s stem cells.
How did you get involved with Smart Cells?
I became pregnant with my first child, Taig, in Hong Kong in 2001. Obstetric care was incredible there and that’s where I first heard about stem cell storage. Smart Cells was the only company I had heard of at the time that was actively engaged in this new pioneering service. I relocated back to the UK when I was seven months pregnant and gave Smart Cells a call.
Why did you decide to store your baby’s stem cells?
I think with your first child, you’re more sensitive to all the risks and unknowns surrounding childbirth and raising children. Storing stem cells just seemed like common sense and I felt reassured that I’d taken the step to do anything I could to offset certain potential illnesses my child may have been at risk for.
Tell me what your experience has been like with Smart Cells?
Dealing with Smart Cells was incredibly easy. At the time, it was just a phone call, documents got sent to me and then the pack for the hospital arrived. It was so much easier than I thought it was going to be. The pack came with really clear instructions for my delivery team at the local hospital. As it was quite a new thing at the time I imagined there would be problems but the nurses and midwives were fantastic and followed the directions to the letter.
Did everything work as you had expected it to?
It was better than expected. Everyone knew what they were doing so I didn’t need to worry.
Are there any obstacles that would have prevented you from using our service?
No, none. Using the service couldn’t have been easier. Smart Cells have also been brilliant at tracking me down over the course of several house moves when I was quite lax about updating my home address and have made sure my contact details are up to date. I’ve been impressed with how much they care about their customers.
What would you say to a friend or colleague who was thinking of using Smart Cells?
Definitely use Smart Cells. They are so professional and reassuring and the service is really easy to use. Having my son’s stem cells in storage is a source of constant reassurance to me.
Would you recommend this service to others? If so, why?
Yes, for all of the above reasons.