CAMAF Member Option Guides & Info

4 healthcare Technology SteM cell StoRAge having a baby is one of the most emotional and fascinating moments in life. it is every parent's natural instinct to protect their child from any harm even before the baby is born, to provide the best for them and to ensure their optimum health for the years ahead. Stem cell therapies and treatments are arguably one of the fastest growing sectors in the medical industry today, and already treating over 70 diseases and disorders. Some of the fatal diseases and disorders currently being treated with stem cells are the leukaemia's, lymphoma's and other blood cancers, bone marrow disorders like aplastic anaemia and sickle cell disease. Some medical innovations, like stem cell storage, may offer new possibilities to address future medical needs. currently there are promising trials underway in treating cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, acquired hearing loss in children, heart muscle repair after heart attack, spinal cord repair, diabetes and arthritis, amongst others. When you give birth you have a once in a lifetime opportunity to save your baby's stem cells. Stem cells are the basic building blocks of our bodies. After a baby is born, cord blood is left in the umbilical cord and placenta, and these are normally discarded as medical waste. blood and tissue in the umbilical cord contain large numbers of stem cells. blood stem cells are responsible for maintaining blood production throughout our lives and for many years they have been used in bone marrow transplants to treat blood diseases. collecting and storing your child's umbilical cord blood and tissue not only has the potential to save your baby's life but could also be a source of transplantable stem cells for a family member in medical need. as a caMaF member you get a negotiated discount of up to 25%, dependant on what option you are on, with cryo-save, the Stem cell Bank. cryo-Save also has payment arrangements in place for cAMAF members. Should you be interested in storing your baby's stem cells, please contact cryo-save directly by using this link or call 087 8080 170. Please note that caMaF does not cover expenses related to cord blood stem cell harvesting, testing and storage as this is not treatment for a specific medical condition. the cash discount that is offered is passed directly on to you and is not paid from your benefits.

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