Umbilical Cord Blood Banking

Dear Friends and Supporters:

Greetings!!

UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD BANKING
The Joanne Pang Foundation is pleased to announce the completion of a report titled “Umbilical Cord Blood Banking (From Yesterday’s Medical Waste to Today’s Medical Miracle)” in support of the establishment of the Northern California Cord Blood Bank (NCUBB) at the UCSF Children’s Hospital.

This brief overview with about 30 pages, which summaries the progress of umbilical cord blood banking in the past two decades, would help walk you through it in a simplified and readable format while not missing all key critical clinical aspects and potential medical, social, and economic benefits of this life-saving therapeutic treatment.

I would like to acknowledge the contribution from the JPF medical board, especially Dr. Morton Cowen of the UCSF Children’s Hospital for his extensive and in-depth review. The support from the JPF board of directors is also deeply appreciated.

The uses of the lifesaving stems cells in umbilical cord blood have been increasingly playing a critical role in treating life threatening diseases and many disorders. JPF is humble to be part of this evolution to help the needy patients for a chance at life.

AB52 UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD COLLECTION PROGRAM
Assembly Bill 52, introduced by Assembly Member Portantino and coauthored by Assembly Members Block, Blumenfield, Buchanan, and Price, is in a critical phase in the next one month. Whether it would survive the Appropriations Committee will depend on your support. If becoming a law, it would support the umbilical cord blood banking in California and ensure a chance of life-saving transplant for many patients, especially from various ethnic communities and mixed races, for many decades to come.

Please go to the links in the previous JPF update in Joe’s blog, email to all members of the Appropriations Committee, and register your support. For your convenience, Lisa Napoli, a JPF board member, has drafted a generic letter for you to voice your support of AB52. Please feel free to edit or modify it if necessary.

JPF is proud to be one of the support organizations for this bill.

WALK’ N RUN FOR KIDS AND CAMP OKIZU
A fundraisng letter from Prof. Michael Amylon of Stanford University on behalf of the Okizu Foundation is attached for your review. Prof. Amylon is a member of the JPF medical board. Providing patient assistance and family support are both one of the goals of the JPF. JPF will support these activities and I would like to request for your support as well.

Witnessing the struggles of many little children at the transplant unit was an unforgettable experience for me. It was like being in a war zone fighting for survival. I was also amazed at the willingness of the patents giving up everything just to be together with their little ones. Parents made these sacrifices readily no matter if they would do so for just weeks or months. For as long as there is even only a glimpse of hope, they would fight on to keep their little ones.

To support children with cancer and their families, please visit the following link:
http://www.active.com/donate/OkizuFoundation/drmike

Thank you very much for the help!!


Joseph