As Chief of Pediatrics of a premier hospital in Columbus, GA and as a long time practicing pediatric oncologist (children’s cancer doctor), I have received many joyful hugs and tear-stained kisses for helping to save the lives of innocent children stricken with horrible diseases.  It is never an easy matter to treat a child with a life threatening disease.  The child usually does not understand the seriousness of his/her illness, and the parents are devastated.  I am often looked upon as the child’s last hope to survive, and the family’s last hope to restore order to a shattered world.

 

Unfortunately, on far too many occasions, I have also comforted the parents of a child that I could not save.  From leukemia to lymphoma and from brain tumors to bone cancers, I help children and their families battle these diseases everyday.  It is for this reason that I am on a constant crusade to find new and better therapies for children with blood disorders and cancer.  When you realize that nearly one out of every three-hundred children will develop cancer, you can imagine why this is such a critical issue.

 

It is for this reason that I feel so strongly that every family should store their newborn’s placental cord stem cells.  These cells already offer treatments and cures to diseases that just a short time ago was unimaginable.  If the recent past is any predictor of the future, many more diseases should become treatable with these stem cells as well.

 

When you store your baby’s cord stem cells, you are keeping a perfect genetic match of healthy cells that can, if necessary, replace diseased bone marrow.  It is possible that the cells that you store in the first moments of your Baby’s life will one day be the key to a successful recovery from diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma.  It is an insurance policy for your child, your child’s siblings, and perhaps even you, that is too important to forego.

 

Finally, I want to acknowledge all of the wonderful efforts that Stork Medical is making to offer this important service.  With ever greater numbers of newborns having their stem cells stored, I suspect that my colleagues and I will one day have better and better treatments to defeat childhood cancer.

 

Congratulations on your upcoming addition.

 

Sincerely,
Arthur J. Provisor, M.D .
Pediatric Oncologist
Chief of Pediatrics

 

An Open Letter to Expectant Parents from Mr. Amiel Weisfogel…

 

In 2001, the cold and horrible reality of cancer stuck my family.  My brother, Jaret, was diagnosed with lymphoma.  In 2005, this horror turned to utter devastation as I lost my dear brother on my own birthday.  Jaret was 38 years old.  I am now my parent’s only child.
  
Jaret was an amazing person.  He spoke four languages, and while ill, completed a PhD in East Asian studies.  He was widely admired by his colleagues and universally loved by his friends and family.  Jaret fought as hard as any individual could fight to beat cancer.  As a family, my parents and I battled along with Jaret, struggling to help, but ultimately helpless.   Despite his poor health and weakened state, Jaret had the courage, strength, and conviction to stand at my side, as my Best Man, just five months before his death.  Jaret’s absence is felt profoundly every day.

 

I cannot help but wonder what would have happened if stem cell storage had been available at the time of my brother’s birth.  Having his own cells available may have saved his life.  Jaret received a donor stem cell transplant from a generous stranger, but these cells are never a perfect match.  In the end, these donor cells could not save my brother.

 

My wife and I are now planning our own family.  In preparation, we have already opened an account with Stork.  I suspect that we were their easiest sale.  We know first hand the potential value of storing placental cord stem cells.  We hope that by sharing our tragic loss with you, it will encourage you to store your baby’s cells as well.  Perhaps, in some small way, this is one of Jaret’s everlasting legacies and gifts to my family and yours.

 

As young couples, most of us live paycheck to paycheck.  Earning enough money to simply pay the rent and buy groceries is often a struggle.  Insurance, in any form, is often put off until the future.  Unfortunately, the only opportunity to store these cells is when your baby is born.  Your parents, family, and friends, like ours, might be willing to help.  We urge you to make this commitment for your baby.

   

I wish you and your family great health and happiness.

 

Sincerely,
Amiel Weisfogel

 

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An Open Letter to Expectant Parents from Dr. Jonathan Liss…

Throughout my many years in medicine, I have worn many “hats”.  I started my career as an emergency medical technician; the “first responder” at an accident or home.  As a high school student, I began a long journey into medical research.  Over the years, I have worked on research related to diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, stroke, gall bladder disease, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, sleep disorders, and liver transplantation.  Like many medical students, I even found myself on “the other side of the needle”, as a volunteer subject of research to help buy a few groceries!

 

In addition to my ongoing research, I teach young doctors and medical students and I lecture nationally on important health issues.  I am also a practicing Neurologist (brain doctor) and Sleep Specialist.  I want you to understand my background so that you can better understand why I feel so strongly that you should store your baby’s placental cord stem cells.

 

Everyday I see devastating diseases with inadequate treatments.  From spinal cord injury to dementia; from multiple sclerosis to brain tumors, on a daily basis, I care for suffering patient’s and their families.

 

It is my great hope that the stem cells you store out of love for your baby today, will be tomorrow’s treatment or cure for diseases like this.  Because these cells are closely related to the baby’s parents and siblings, they even offer potential benefit to the rest of the family as well.

 

Almost everyday we hear about breakthroughs in stem cell technology.  Just a short time ago, this science did not exist.  Now, these cells are used to treat a variety of cancers, blood disorders and metabolic diseases.  While no one can predict the future, it is my belief that these cells will offer treatments and cures that today are impossible.

 

As a company, Stork Medical is offering you an opportunity that you should not dismiss.  I strongly encourage you to store your baby’s placental cord stem cells.

 

Best Wishes,
Jonathan L. Liss, M.D.            

 

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An Open Letter to Expectant Parents from Dawn Summerlin…

 

Dear Expectant Parents,

 

As a busy Mother of two, and as a medical researcher, I want to offer my heart-felt congratulations on your upcoming addition.

   

What an exciting world your child will be born into.  Our Nation has changed in so many ways since I became a mother for the first time.  From the internet revolution, to wireless gadgets, to placental cord stem cell technology.  Who could have ever predicted such wonderful innovations?

 

It was not that long ago that our parents lived in daily fear of diseases like polio and small pox.  Because of vaccine technology, new cases of polio are almost non-existent in the United States and small pox has been completely eradicated!
 
Now with stem cells, the medical world your child will experience may be as dramatically different for them, as our world has been in comparison to our parents.  Just imagine how our children will feel if breast cancer, burns, spinal cord injury, and Alzheimer’s disease were to become easily treated.
  
With the future for placental stem cell technology so bright and promising, I encourage you to strongly consider storing your baby’s stem cells.

 

Congratulations!

Dawn Summerlin
(Holli & Paul’s Mom)