Stem cells for transplants can come from adults’ blood or bone marrow, as well as from cord blood.

But cord blood transplants have lots of advantages.

Getting adult donations is a long process. If we find someone a match on our register, we have to do more tests on the potential donor, and it takes time to organise the donation and transplant.

Cord blood is banked in our cell therapy centre in Nottingham and is available immediately, for people in desperate need.

Also, donors and recipients don’t need to be an exact match, as the stem cells in cord blood aren’t so mature and can develop to suit their recipient. That means it’s easier to find matches. To find out more about cord please visit this site.