Why Donate Cord Blood?

10. The blood left over in your baby’s umbilical cord could save someone’s life.

Cord blood contains the same kind of special cells as bone marrow, and like bone marrow, has been used in transplants to cure patients with otherwise fatal diseases. The Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank is a non-profit organization whose mission is to help save the lives of patients in need of such transplants by providing them with a matched umbilical cord blood donor.

9. Donating cord blood is free, painless, and without risk to mother or baby.

Blood is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta only after baby is born and the cord is cut. Unlike private cord blood banking, contributing to the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank is totally free of charge and the stored unit is available to help others who desperately need another chance at life.

8. Cord blood cells are more forgiving than bone marrow.

Patients and donors do not have to be as closely matched when using cord blood cells, so that means hard to match patients have a better chance finding a suitable donor.

7. We’re in the best position to help ourselves.

Patients who are minorities, and especially those who are of multiple-races, have the most difficult time finding matching donors. Hawai'i’s ethnic diversity poses us a special challenge, but can also be our greatest resource. Donating to the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank can end up helping our families, our friends, our neighbors, and our co-workers by filling a need that can’t be met anywhere else.

6. Donating cord blood to the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank has the medical profession’s seal of approval.

As Hawai'i’s first and ONLY public cord blood bank, we make our cord blood units available to any searching patient who has a suitable match. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation have all strongly endorsed public cord blood banking.

5. We are part of a national and a worldwide network.

Cord blood units collected here in Hawai'i by the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank are listed with the National Marrow Donor Program’s network of cord blood banks. Their computer database allows our inventory to be searched on behalf of patients worldwide.

4. We can accept your cord blood donation at Oahu’s major delivery hospitals.

Thanks to the hard work and devotion of hundreds of doctors and nurses who volunteer their time on our behalf, we now offer cord blood collection at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children, The Queen’s Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, Tripler Army Medical Center, Castle Medical Center, and Maui Memorial Medical Center.

3. You can help share the Aloha Spirit with the rest of the world.

Thus far, over 275 cord blood units collected by the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank have provided matches for transplant patients from all regions of the United States, as well as Spain, France, Turkey, Australia, and Italy. These patients have ranged from an infant less than 1 year of age to a 71 year old adult.

2. Donating your baby’s cord blood turns trash into treasure.

By donating what would normally be discarded, you can recycle the leftover blood in your baby’s umbilical cord and turn it into Hope.

1. It’s like giving life twice.

On the day your baby is born, you can give the gift of life a second time. What better way to celebrate the birth of your child than by donating to the Hawai'i Cord Blood Bank.

*Current as of September 24th, 2015.