One of the greatest success stories of cord blood transplantation to date is its unrivalled ability to treat sickle cell disease (SCD).
“Expectant mothers who have a child with SCD should be counselled and informed about the importance of saving their baby’s cord blood for potential transplant of the child with SCD… SCD patients and parents of children with SCD should know about the ability of stem cell transplants to cure this affliction.” Dr. Naynesh Kamani, AABB
SCD is the most common inherited blood disorder in the UK, and a life-limiting illness that causes the sufferer terrible pain crises, eventually leading to organ damage and stroke.
- An estimated 250,000 people in the UK have sickle cell trait
- Approximately 15,000 people in the UK have sickle cell disease
What is Sickle Cell Disease?
Sickle cell disease is a term which describes a group of inherited conditions that affect the shape of red blood cells. The most serious and prevalent of these conditions is known as sickle cell anaemia. Typical, healthy red blood cells are a circular, disc shape; whereas, red blood cells in sickle cell disease, have a crescent or “sickle” shape. The sickle shape of these cells make them prone to clumping, leading to blockages in tiny blood vessels. This can result in pain crises, infection, chronic progressive organ damage and eventually, stroke.
Due to their abnormal shape, sickle cells cannot effectively transport oxygen around the body in comparison to healthy red blood cells. Consequently, the sufferer may experience anaemia, tiredness and shortage of breath.
