Giuliana and Bill Rancic Launch "Healthy Futures" Campaign with CBR to Educate Expectant Parents on the Value of Cord Blood Stem Cells

SAN BRUNO, Calif., Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Giuliana and Bill Rancic, stars of Style Network's Giuliana and Bill, know first-hand that a family's health situation can change. After openly discussing their struggle with infertility and a miscarriage, followed by Giuliana's breast cancer diagnosis, the couple became even more committed to making the best decisions for their family's future health.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120216/AQ54476LOGO)

That's why, as proud parents of a healthy newborn, Giuliana and Bill want to share the decision they made to save their son's cord blood. In partnership with CBR^® (Cord Blood Registry^®), they are launching a nationwide campaign called "Healthy Futures," to educate expectant parents about the value of cord blood stem cells.

"Every parent wants a healthy future for their baby and family, but no one can predict the future," Giuliana explains. "Battling breast cancer empowered me to take charge of my own health. There was no question we'd also take charge of our baby's health by banking his stem cells with CBR. Our goal with 'Healthy Futures' is to empower all expectant parents to take action and make an informed choice."

Families who bank with CBR can access their stem cells when and if they ever need it. Cord blood – the blood that remains in a baby's umbilical cord after birth – is a rich source of valuable stem cells. When saved, cord blood can be used within the family in a variety of medical treatments that may be lifesaving or life-changing. Cord blood has already been used in more than 25,000 transplants worldwide for diseases including leukemia's and blood disorders.¹ It is also being evaluated in FDA-regulated clinical trials as a treatment for serious conditions including autism, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and acquired hearing loss.  

"We've always been very open about our lives," Bill said. "Because many expecting parents are not adequately informed about the value of their newborn's cord blood, they may not know saving it can provide a health resource for the future. We're proud to partner with CBR on this campaign and share our decision to raise awareness about this important health decision."

"For Bill and me, it was important to pick a bank with the most experience and expertise. We chose CBR because we wanted the best for our son," added Giuliana. "And, apart from our doctor's recommendation, my sister has banked all four of her kid's stem cells with CBR."

For more information about the Giuliana and Bill's story and for new medical uses of cord blood stem cells, visit www.cordblood.com/healthyfutures.

About Cord Blood Registry

CBR^® (Cord Blood Registry^®) is the world's largest and most experienced cord blood bank, safeguarding more than 400,000 children's cord blood and tissue collections.  The company has consistently led the industry in developing technical innovations and establishing FDA-regulated clinical trials. CBR was the first family bank accredited by AABB and the company's quality standards have been recognized through ISO 9001:2008 certification—the global business standard for quality. CBR has also released more client cord blood units for specific therapeutic use than any other family cord blood bank.  Our research and development efforts are focused on helping the world's leading clinical researchers advance regenerative medical therapies.  For more information, visit www.cordblood.com.

1.Butler MG, Menitove JE. Umbilical cord blood banking: an update. J Assist ReprodGenet.2011;28(8):669-76.

SOURCE CBR (Cord Blood Registry)