The program provides access to life-saving cord blood for patients in need of stem cell transplantation. Like bone marrow, cord blood is rich in blood stem cells and is an effective alternative to bone marrow transplants. A similar collection site is in place at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. Dennis Dowling, executive director at the LIJ , said, "Since the inception of the program in November 1999, North Shore University Hospital's collection site has received 7,285 donations, resulting in 277 transplants. We just received word that one of our latest donations found its way to Singapore. It is our hope that the new site at LIJ will be equally successful in helping to save the lives of people in need, whether here at home or anywhere in the world."Dr. Pablo Rubinstein, director of New York Blood Center's National Cord Blood Program, said, "The New York Blood Center is very happy to be working with the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Its current and future contributions to the program enhance our ability to meet the needs of patients who do not have a matched relative who can be a bone marrow donor for them. The cord blood provided by this new site will help give a chance for surviving otherwise lethal diseases to many of the thousands of patients waiting for bone marrow transplants yearly."When they are well matched to a patient's tissue, donated bone marrow can save the lives of people with malignant diseases of the blood, such as leukemia and lymphoma, genetic diseases like immunodeficiency syndromes (such as the "boy in the bubble"), metabolic abnormalities and sickle cell anemia. Despite the presence of more than six million volunteer donors in marrow donor registries in the United States, several thousand patients die every year waiting for a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor. A disproportionate number of those left waiting in vain are African-American or other minorities. Cord blood, taken from the delivered placenta and umbilical cord, is donated by mothers of newborn babies for any patient in need of stem cell transplantation anywhere. When cord blood is transplanted, the stem cells go to work to reconstitute healthy bone marrow, and produce all blood and immune system cells for the patient. Unlike blood transfusions, cord blood transplants do not have to be a perfect match to the patient's tissue type, which gives minorities a better chance of success at finding sufficiently matched cord blood transplants.The National Cord Blood Program of the New York Blood Center is a pioneer in the use of unrelated donor cord blood for transplantation. Since the program's inception in 1992, it has spearheaded the research, testing and adoption of this treatment throughout the world. The NCBP has provided cord blood for more than 1,800 patients of all ages and ethnic backgrounds in the United States and 27 other countries, and banked almost 30,000 cord blood donations.
South Nassau Surgeon named representative for Brooklyn/LI Chapter of ACS
South Nassau Communities Hospital announced that Dr. Rajiv Datta, director of surgical oncology/head and neck surgery, will accept to serve as the "Young Surgeon Representative" of the Brooklyn and Long Island Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.Datta, said, "The ACS is one of the most respected national physician organizations on Capitol Hill. I will use this responsibility to support the advocacy initiatives of South Nassau and the ACS for state and federal laws and health care budgeting that will improve our health system and correct its flaws."A primary function of a Young Surgeon Representative's is to identify issues or federal or state legislation that would adversely affect patients and hinder the delivery of health-care services. They are also called on to attend the ACS's Committee on Young Surgeons Annual Summer Assembly in Washington, D.C., which is highlighted by intensive meetings with members of the congress and senate on health-care legislation.Dr. Akram Boutros, vice president of medical affairs and administration, said, "Our patients and the communities we serve can be assured that Dr. Datta will use this appointment as another avenue to serve them and increase their access to high-quality health care. At South Nassau, we believe that we have a responsibility to be a leader in the development and mandating of health-care policy that benefits the patient."A native of India, Datta is recognized as one of the leading head and neck surgeons in the U.S. Before joining South Nassau in 2001, he was director of surgical oncology at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn.
