If you are alive and reading this….take your finger and point it towards your middle…feel that indentation? You are the proud owner of a belly button. Do you know where your got your very own personalized lint collector? From your mom…your belly button was a gift.
Did you know that your belly button gift could actually have the ability to save a life? When you were born; if the technology would have been available (who knows when you were born 🙂 ), you could have donated the blood from your umblical cord. Science in this area has discovered something great and powerful. Blood from umbilical cords has stem cells in it. I know , I know…some people do not agree with stem cell research.
However, MOST people who object to stem cell research, object because some people were lobbying the government about using stem cells from aborted fetuses. Life is precious. It should be treated with respect. I personally don’t agree with using stem cells from aborted fetuses…i don’t agree with abortions. However, i have nothing against using stem cells from umbilical cords.
In cases where a woman is going to give her child up for adoption…how great would it be if she could also send along information to the adoption agency that as a gift to that child…she also was having the child’s cord blood stored in case of medical need? How loved would a child feel knowing that his or her birth mother cared enough about them to give them that? What an amazing thing!
Everytime a human being is born; there is an umbilical cord that nourished that baby while it was in it’s mother’s womb. In the past that cord and it’s blood was tossed away for lack of knowledge. We have options these days. We are just, within the last few decades, realizing how important those life giving umblical cords are to our well being, even after birth.
There are over 70 diseases being treated from umbilical cord blood. People who suffer from debilitating diseases that compromise their immune systems could benefit from the gift that the umbilical cord blood provides.
Many mothers today, are now choosing to either put their child’s umbilical cord blood into a blood bank or donating it to help others. It is almost like an insurance policy in case that child or a close family member should suffer a life altering disease, in the future. The blood would be a “match” so that person would not have to wait months or years; trying to find someone who “matched” them close enough to save their lives.
If a child has relatives who have a disease in their family that could potentially harm them in the future…the precious stem cells, that would be stored from their own umbilical cord blood, could save their lives. It could help to potentially save the life of their siblings; or, even a stranger if that very same cord blood was donated.
All an expectant mother has to do is, discuss it with her OB/GYN before delivering her child. Motherhood is a wonderful thing…Fatherhood is no less wonderful…it is time that we realize how precious life is and honor the creator of all life. What a miracle this type of donation is…tell others about this belly button gift that can save lives. After all, Mother’s Day is sneaking up on us…if you are expecting…donating or saving that umbilical cord blood is a wonderful way of honoring all mothers.
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