Saving Logan: A Cord Blood Success Story

Save the Cord Foundation works to raise awareness about the need for and uses of umbilical cord blood stem cells. Cord blood is collected at birth and can be donated to save the lives of children and adults or banked in case of future need by the family.

Without a transplant of donated cord blood, nineteen-month-old Logan Stout wouldn't live to see his tenth birthday.

Logan was born with the genetic disorder Hurler syndrome, an extremely rare disease that affects only one in 100,000 children. The disease attacks the body's joints and organs and most often kills before age ten. When Logan's doctors diagnosed him with Hurler, they sent him home to die, unaware of the cord blood transplant option.

Once Logan's parents were given the diagnosis, they immediately began researching Hurler syndrome online. They hoped to find a way to save their son's life. The Stouts eventually found a Web site that informed them about cord blood transplants as a treatment option and directed them to Dr. Joanne Kurtzburg, chief of the blood and marrow transplantation division of the pediatrics department at Duke University Hospital.

Within three hours of emailing Dr. Kurtzburg, Logan's parents received a response, urging them to bring him in immediately. Every minute counts for a child with Hurler, because the longer it takes to get a transplant the more damage is done to the child.

In July of 2008, the family flew to Duke. After necessary testing and chemotherapy, Logan received a successful transplant of publicly donated cord blood stem cells. While Logan has sustained some permanent damage, the harm from the disease is minimal because he received the transplant so early in his life. Every day, Logan is progressing both physically and developmentally.

Cord blood education is crucial for both the general public and the medical community. Logan's specialist didn't know about cord blood, and this grave oversight could have cost Logan his life. To learn more about Logan and other children with Hurler, visit www.loganjackstout.com.

Save the Cord Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing factual, unbiased information about the life-saving benefits of umbilical cord blood and advocating for the need to preserve this valuable resource. For more information, visit www.savethecordfoundation.org.

Editors Note: The Stout family and the founders of Save the Cord Foundation are available for interview.