September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and organizations across Canada work throughout the month to raise awareness of the campaign. The aim of the promotion is to generate revenue for research and medical breakthroughs to help improve the quality of life for children in Canada and around the world.
One option that can potentially improve the lives of children is cord blood bank, which stores a sample of blood from the umbilical cord of a baby as a source of medical therapy if the need arises. cord blood programs like Insception Lifebank help families make a decision potentially change lives by storing cord blood samples at designated facilities.
Recognizing that the cost of cord blood banking could prevent some families to commit to a decision, Insception Lifebank sponsored Wings of Hope Medical Needs Program. The program was founded by Dr. Barbara Cruickshank, who works for the partner Insception Lifebank Mount Sinai Hospital. Wings Hope program allows families to waive the initial fee associated with cord blood collection process provided they are approved to do so.
Many families have benefited from Wings of Hope, including a young boy named Devon who was diagnosed with myeloid dysplasia. The program helped the family to Devon to record, process and store cord blood that was eventually used in a transplant of cells from cord blood stem. Devon now lives a much better quality of life, and his family continued to bank cord blood with the birth of their third child.
Families who ask for Wings of Hope will receive a letter explaining the program and referring them to the registration process. This letter explains how the program will benefit the family, and also provides contact information for representatives Insception Lifebank for any other request.
The awareness month childhood cancer lasts throughout September, and the goal is to inform as many families as possible on how to protect children cancerous conditions.