Leeza Gibbons Leads Campaign To Increase Cord Blood Awareness (NAPSA)—Everyday,a lifesaving medical resource is wasted. And new parentsare the ones who are missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for their fami- lies. That’s why entertainment reporter, producer and Emmy Award-winning talk show host Leeza Gibbons has committed someof her time to raising awareness about the value of saving umbilical cord blood. “Thousands of families never learn about how valuable the stem cells inside their newborn’s umbilical cord blood can be to their baby or other family members,” says Gibbons, who arranged to save her son Nathan’s cord blood when he wasbornin 1997. Cord blood is a topic close to Gibbons’ heart. “Above everything else in my life, ’m a mom. As a mom I think it’s important to do everything you possibly can to protect your children,” says Gibbons. “Banking cord blood is just another way of doing that.” Today, stem cells, like those found in cord blood, are used to treat more than 75 different diseases and blood disorders. Research has opened up promising newapplications for stem cells that are likely to include treatments for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, brain injuries, and strokes. Once Gibbons learned about the potential uses for stem cells the decision to become a cord blood advocate was easy. She : XX Pi a @) Talk show host Leeza Gibbonsis helping raise awareness of the potential benefits to saving a newborn’s cord blood. teamed up with Cord Blood Registry, the company that banked Nathan’s cord blood, to help educate parents about their once-in-alifetime chance to save their baby’s cord blood stem cells. For Gibbons, saving her son’s cord blood was like investing in “biological insurance.” “We don’t know what the future holds,” says Gibbons. “Why not ensure that you have an opportunity to help your child or someone else you love with these stem cells? It gives us incredible peace of mind to knowthatit’s there.” For more information about how easy it is to save your baby’s cord blood call 1-888-CORD BLOODor find it on the Internet at www.cordblood.com.
