What are blood stem cells and why are they so vital?
Blood Stem Cells are the basic building blocks of our blood. They produce vital blood components, such as white cells which fight infection, red cells which carry oxygen, and platelets which prevent bruising and bleeding. Any disease that attacks your marrow, where your blood stem cells are most often located, may eliminate your body’s ability to protect itself. Most fatal blood diseases have traditionally been fought with radiation or chemotherapy. In countering disease, both forms of treatment may seriously damage the human body. By providing patients in need of compatible blood stem cells, you can give them a second chance at a healthy life. More than 20,000 marrow transplants have been performed worldwide.
