Every year, Cord Blood Awareness Month in July brings vital attention to a powerful but often under-discussed medical resource: umbilical cord blood. At Smart Cells, we believe education is key to empowering families, which is why we’re proud to mark this month by launching a content campaign in partnership with Leukaemia & Myeloma Research UK (LMRUK).
Together, we’re working to raise awareness, share personal stories, and break down the facts about stem cell banking – what it is, how it works, and why it matters.
What Is Cord Blood Awareness Month?
Cord Blood Awareness Month happens every July to help to increase awareness and to inform parents, medical professionals, and the public about the potential of umbilical cord blood stem cells to treat serious conditions such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and certain genetic disorders.
Cord blood stem cells are a rich and non-invasive source of haematopoietic stem cells, the same kind used in bone marrow transplants, making them a critical option in life-saving treatments.
Why Is Cord Blood Awareness Month Important?
Despite cord blood stem cell banking being available now for more than 25 years, knowledge, understanding and even awareness of this opportunity remains consistently low.
In 2014, we commissioned a YouGov survey which showed that 32% of Britons did not know that there was an option to store cord blood to extract life-transforming stem cells should they be needed in the future. This figure has changed little since then.
In the UK, cord blood is only collected at 0.3% of births each year.
In 2022-23, the NHS Cord Blood Bank size fell below its target of collecting 19,000 units and also below its target of issuing units for patient use at 31 units.
95% of cord blood is discarded as medical waste each year, even though it could potentially save a life.
We want to change all of this.
Our goal this month is to start conversations, answer questions, and provide trustworthy information so that families can make informed choices about cord blood banking.
Our Partnership with LMRUK
This year, we’re thrilled to work closely with LMRUK, a UK charity dedicated to supporting families affected by blood cancers and funding vital research. Through their Model Cell Biobank (MCB) programme, LMRUK offers families the opportunity to privately store cord blood stem cells for future use, with funding available to qualifying families.
Through our partnership, Smart Cells proudly provides the collection, processing and long-term storage of these stem cell samples, ensuring that families have access to secure and professional banking services.
A study into cord blood donation and banking options showed that despite parents clearly favouring health professionals as their primary source of information on cord blood collection, this crucial topic is still too often overlooked in standard antenatal care.
Shamshad Ahmed, CEO and founder of Smart Cells adds:
“We are aware of the potential opinion bias that can come from a private company like ourselves, so while it is important for us to be part of this conversation, it is also partly the responsibility of healthcare professionals to help to spread awareness, and more importantly understanding, of cord blood banking.
“We share a vision with LMRUK to ensure that more families are aware of their options and have access to potentially life-saving treatments in the future.”
What to Expect This Month
Throughout July, we’ll be publishing a series of blog posts, videos, social content, and real-life stories to help you learn more about the power of stem cells and how the Model Cell Biobank service with LMRUK works. You’ll hear from experts, meet some of the families who’ve stored with us, and gain a deeper understanding of why cord blood banking could one day make all the difference.
We’ll also be highlighting our work with LMRUK and sharing how you can help raise awareness for this incredible cause.
Join Us in Spreading the Word
Cord blood stem cells are already helping people around the world—but greater awareness can ensure they help many more. Whether you’re expecting a baby or simply want to learn more, follow along this month to explore the science, the stories, and the hope that stem cell banking can offer.
Want to stay updated? Sign up to our newsletter, follow us on Smart Cells’ Facebook and Instagram and LMRUK’s Facebook, and don’t forget to check back regularly for the latest updates.
Let’s make this Cord Blood Awareness Month count.
Sources:
https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-018-2024-6
https://celltrials.org/maps-cell-and-gene-therapy/percentage-of-births-banking-cord-blood
