A child in New York may be saved with umbilical cord blood. Governor needs to take action.
The New York State Assembly announced the passage of A2915-B, the Public and Private Umbilical Cord Blood Banking legislation.
The bill passed the NYS Senate on June 19th, and requires the NYS Department of Health to develop an educational program to make the public aware of umbilical cord banking.
Governor Spitzer needs to sign S1265A into law.
Your opinion is very powerful and your voice is needed. To show your support, please contact Governor Spitzer’s office and ask him to sign S1265A into law so that all expectant parents benefit from understanding their options for cord blood banking.
Here’s are the details for contacting the Governor’s office by e-mail:
1. Send to: gov.spitzer@chamber.stateny.us
2. Subject Line: Please Support and Sign S1265A Cord Blood Bill
3. It’s important to include your name and address (telephone is optional) so Governor Spitzer knows you are from New York.
4. Example of email letter:
Dear Governor Spitzer,
Stem cells save lives today. Please support and sign into law the cord blood education bill S1265A so that families can make an informed decision regarding their newborn’s cord blood stem cells. Parents have only one chance to make this life-saving decision. Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[YOUR NEW YORK ADDRESS IF NOT INCLUDED ABOVE]
Bill supporter Assemblyman Joseph R. Lentol said, “I believe this bill may be one of the most important we pass for expectant families this year. Many young couples and growing families do yet not know how important it is to consider storing umbilical cord blood after the birth of a child — even though storing umbilical cord blood could be a life saver if someone in their family develops certain serious diseases.”
Umbilical cord blood has shown great benefits to medical research because it is rich in blood stem cells. To date, cord blood stem cells have been used in treating many illnesses and disabilities including leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, lymphomas, inherited red cell cancers and more. The stem cells in cord blood are very important because they make many different types of cells in the body, including blood cells that carry oxygen, fight disease, and help stop bleeding. The cord blood can been transplanted in people to fight disease because it does not need to be perfectly matched to the person who receives it.
Lentol continued, “The option to store blood must become better known. Pregnant women should be receiving information early so they can make an educated decision about whether or not to store their umbilical cord blood after birth, especially since there are now more than 60 diseases that can be helped through cord blood transplantation.”
Lentol concluded, “I am very proud of this legislation. Families need solid reliable information in order to determine what to do with their newborn’s stem cells. This bill will help ensure that happens.”