MANILA, Philippines - Last July 26, St. Clare Medical Center in Palanan, Makati City marked a high-tech, lifesaving milestone: For the first time in its 40 years of delivering thousands of babies, blood and tissue were extracted from the umbilical cord of baby Ash, born to parents Mr. and Mrs. Bhatia. The process was done by ob-gyn Dr. Aurea L. Jeremillo, senior medical consultant, assisted by Dr. Lorelie Tan and Dr. Monaliza Quitchon.
The extraction was part of the cord blood/cord tissue banking service offered by ReliCord, the first registered cord blood bank and repository in Southeast Asia. ReliCord is now available to Filipinos through the partnership of Ambica Biotechnologies and Reliance Life Sciences, one of the world’s largest biopharma corporations.
Using stem cells found in the baby’s cord blood, cord blood banking makes it possible to protect, in the future, not just the health of the baby but also that of the entire family — parents, brothers, and sisters. The compatibility of the baby’s stem cells with all members of the immediate family is virtually assured.
Cord blood is the richest source of stem cells. Stem cells from cord blood and cord tissue are the latest breakthrough in medical science as treatment against more than 80 deadly diseases like cancer, blood disorders, and tissue-related disorders (heart, bone, spinal cord, liver, etc.).
In the past, the umbilical cord was merely discarded after birth, thus wasting precious life-giving stem cells. Now, through ReliCord, the cord blood and cord tissue can be saved, frozen, and stored for 21 years or more. The collection is a non-invasive process that is totally painless and harmless to the mother or the newborn infant.
“We hope that in the near future, more and more expectant Filipino couples would gain access to the benefits of ReliCord cord blood/cord tissue banking services. It offers immense peace of mind and highly reliable, possible protection against future diseases to the entire family,” says Dr. Ronald Ramirez, Ambica’s medical advisor.
Ambica executive Job Joseph encourages everyone, especially expectant Filipino couples, to learn more about the latest lifesaving technology. “For inquiries, they can reach me at my mobile number 09175483611; e-mail me at biotech@ambicaphilippines.com, call me at 828-6617 to 18. They can also visit our website (www.ambicaphilippines.com),” Joseph adds.