Extraordinary Gala Dinner With Down Syndrome Children in Indonesia

An Extraordinary Gala Dinner with Down Syndrome Kids in Indonesia

INDONESIA: The month of March is recognized internationally as Trisomy Awareness Month. In support of this initiative, PT Cordlife Persada and Institution of Parents with Down Syndrome Kids (Persatuan Orang Tua dengan Anak Down Syndrome - POTADS) - Bandung Chapter, jointly held an Extraordinary Gala Dinner, which was mainly attended by key obstetricians in the country. PT Cordlife Persada also gave a donation to support POTADS for its work in Bandung.

This event was a part of Cordlife's commitment to raise awareness about trisomy conditions, especially for Down syndrome in Indonesia. During her opening speech, Ms. Retno Suprihatin, CEO of PT Cordlife Persada said, "As a company, Cordlife does not just aims for profit. We also want to play a part in delivering positive impacts to the society wherever we operate." Representatives from POTADS - Bandung Chapter also shared their ups and downs in raising children with Down syndrome. Four children with Down syndrome also showcased their musical talents through a range of heartwarming performances at the event.

Helping Moms-to-be Prepare for Their Best Gift Ever

PHILIPPINES: Cordlife Philippines launched its first pregnancy guidebook, "The Countdown to the Best Gift Ever" on Valentine’s Day last month.

Available at selected key obstetricians' clinics, this pregnancy book is a compilation of useful information to help expectant women better prepare themselves during their pregnancy journey. The guidebook also contains well-meaning practices relating to pregnancy and friendly recommendations one will need to help them cope in the first month after the baby arrives.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Research on Umbilical Cord Blood for the Treatment of Autism in Singapore

SINGAPORE: KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) has commenced a clinical trial for the treatment of Autism through autologous umbilical cord blood (child’s own cord blood) reinfusion. This clinical trial is the first of its kind to be conducted in Singapore.

Click here to learn more about the clinical trial

IMPORTANT: Kindly email KKH directly at aucb.study@kkh.com.sg and input “AUCB Study” in the subject line for more information on this (e.g. the eligibility criteria.) or click here.

Note: KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH), established in 1858, is Singapore's leading hospital specialising in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Paediatrics and Neonatology. Today, the 830-bed hospital is a referral centre providing tertiary services to manage high-risk conditions in women and children in Singapore.

REAL STORIES
AROUND THE WORLD

A Life-changing Cord Blood Treatment

ITALY: If you look at four-year-old Asia, you would have never imagined that she was diagnosed with a mild spastic tetraparesis at a tender age of two.

Spastic tetraparesis is a condition caused by the lack of oxygen at birth and there is no cure for this condition today. Patients can only rely on physiotherapy to help diminish inflammation of the muscles.

When Asia was two, besides experiencing developmental delays, she could not hold on to things properly with her hands and had difficulty walking. The orthopaedist who diagnosed Asia suggested the use of cord blood stem cells, which her parents stored privately at birth, to help her through.

Within two weeks after receiving her first cord blood infusion at Duke University of North Carolina, Asia started to speak better, run and climb. Her improvements persisted and seven months after the cord blood infusion, her treating orthopaedist even said he had never seen such improvements in a child with spastic tetraparesis.

If Asia's parents had not stored her cord blood, she could not have been as normal as she is now. "We now hope that Asia will keep on improving and we are grateful to the private cord blood bank for having given us the opportunity to change our daughter’s future", said parents of Asia.

Cord Blood Helped Girl with In Utero Stroke

UNITED STATES: 11-year-old Reese McClain had difficulty on moving her right arm, right hand and right leg when she was three months old. Finally when Reese was nine months old, her doctors determined that she was affected by a neurological condition known as (right) hemiplegia which literally means paralysis of half of the body.

“The doctors believe Reese suffered a stroke in utero before she was born with an unknown cause,” said Mrs. McClain.

The medical treatment for Reese includes a four-year thrice weekly regimen of physical, occupational and speech therapy, and a four-week series of constraint induced movement therapy. She also needed stem cell therapy - an infusion of her own umbilical cord blood stem cells, which were banked privately at birth.

“We feel this gave Reese the boost she needed,” said Mrs. McClain. “With the help of her therapists and the stem cell infusion, two months after Reese turned 2 years old, she began to crawl, walk, and talk.”

At 11 years old now, Reese's condition has improved even though she still need one more surgery to help straighten her right leg and foot.