After birth, that lifeline can provide hope to patients with leukaemia, lymphoma or other diseases.

After delivery, the umbilical cord and placenta are no longer needed and are often discarded. But the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta is rich with blood-forming cells.

These healthy blood-forming cells can be collected and stored so they can be used by a patient who needs them.

Cord blood provides a way to give a patient the ability to produce new blood cells after this has been lost through illness or aggressive treatment.

As well as patients with blood cancers, those with sickle cell disease and immune problems could benefit. It contains potent "stem cells", which, if placed back into the bone marrow, can start producing the right sort of cells.

The NHS Cord Blood Bank was set up in 1996 to collect, process, store and supply cord blood. Their work is for the sole purpose of providing a life saving product from something that is normally thrown away. They are a public cord blood bank, are part of the NHS and it is free for you to donate your cord blood.

By donating your cord blood to the NHS Cord Blood Bank after the birth of your baby, you are making a voluntary donation that could help any patient who is in need of an unrelated cord blood transplant, in the UK or anywhere in the world.

Cord blood is only collected in hospitals where the NHS Cord Blood Bank have dedicated, trained staff. Currently these are Barnet General Hospital, Northwick Park Hospital, Luton and Dunstable Hospital and Watford General Hospital.

If you are interested in donating your cord blood you can call the NHS Cord Blood Bank on 0800 783 5870 or by writing to

NHS Cord Blood Bank
Deansbrook Road
Edgware
Middlesex
HA8 9BD