Kraków - Preserving Stem Cells From Baby Teeth

My dearest readers,

Look how far we have come: now you can preserve your child's stem cells from a naturally shed baby tooth! I find it fascinating how far science came and the options we have now vs. what our parents and grandparents (just a generation or 2 ago!). We cannot yet predict the future and see what path lies ahead of us... we have celebrated the "Back to the Future" day and yet we are missing the time machine... maybe it is better like that! Maybe we would get scared of what the future holds. Hopefully not a "1984" type of society!

A couple of weeks ago, when I was doing the routine yearly checkups, I saw in my private clinic - Medicover - a flyer that arrested my thoughts. I have been in love with genetics and the only reason I did not start a career in medicine was the fact that blood makes me physically ill. The flyer was about "The best choice for your child's future health" - promoting the extracting of stem cells from baby teeth. I think that is a wonderful idea! Before, the medics would collect the stem cells from the embrion stage. I always believed that somehow harms the child!

You must know about stem cell transplants - known as bone marrow transplants... In stem cell transplants, the stem cells replace the cells damaged by chemotherapy. These transplants use adult stem cells. There is a variate field where stem cells provided great help in curing disease or increasing the life expectancy (having a better cure): Parkinson, Alzheimer, heart disease, strokes, diabetes (type 1), birth defects, spine cord injuries, replace/repair damaged organs, cancer disease. Of course the cons in doing stem cell treatment is mostly on "playing God" - the fact that we should not mess with the human life, but them again who brought to this world this many diseases... most of the diseases nowdays are man - made (created by us!).

But what Medicover offers, nowdays in Kraków, is truly intriguing and it made me share this with you. Maybe you will have the money for it and you will find it useful for your children. Medicover can collect stem cells from the pulp of your child's baby tooth! And they can cryopreserve it for several years. Stem cells could potentially grow new organs, tissue and bone that would match perfectly with your child - if he/she will ever need it! Taking the cells of the baby teeth is done when cells are young and at their best, without interfering when the child is in embrion stage.

The child loses naturally 12 teeth over 5 years. It is the perfect and harmless method of ensuring his future. Medicover, in partnership with BioEden, does this procedure for you. BioEden was the first bank stem cells isolated from the pulp of baby teeth and wisdom teeth in the world! The process is unique and patented by BioEden. According to their flyer, "stem cells have been successfully used in treating patients all over the world for more than 50 years".

But how can you preserve your child's stem cells? Well, first of all, you need to become a member of BioEden; then you will obtain a collection kit and guidelines on what will happen next. You can find info on their Web page or you can call them at 500 900 500 (Medicover line). But choose carefully as the packages are quite pricey! (I mean for a regular budget... but hey! Some people like to have the best technology at their fingertips so consider this as the newest iPhone! But even more expensive!):

• the annual package costs 1290 EUR and covers the isolation and extraction of the stem cells and the storage for 1 year + the annual fee for each year thereafter is 120 EUR;
• the 21 year package costs 1830 EUR and covers the isolation and extraction of the stem cells and their storage for 21 years.

What do you say? What do you think of this option? I think it is brilliant this kind of options have become so open and public that a person can just drop by, see the add and take the decision. On the other hand, taking into the consideration the salary level, that is quite a bit to cover... on the flips side,  what would a mother not do for ones child?! What is your opinion? Would you do this if you would have the money for it? Do you feel that God would be upset if we would?... I would like to know...

* I was not repayed in any way for this post and all the opinions are my very own, straight from the heart! *

Yours truly,

The Twisted Red LadyBug that sometimes is unsure about what the future will hold... 

I guess it shall remain a surprise!