Parents with children diagnosed with leukemia receive insurance compensation
The parent of a child with leukemia receives the insurance compensation.
Parents of two infants whose umbilical cord blood was stored upon delivery received insurance compensation after they were diagnosed with acute leukemia.
The two children, aged 1 and 2, were both diagnosed in January. They are now receiving treatment at Children's Hospital of Fudan University and Shanghai Children's Medical Center respectively. The compensation is expected to help cover the children's medical expenses, the parents said.
Chen Liang, vice director of Shanghai Cord Blood Bank, said it offers insurance to parents who keep their children's umbilical cord blood for a period of 20 years. The insurance compensation of 500,000 yuan (US$69,638) is paid if the child is diagnosed with leukemia, malignant lymphoma, multiple myeloma and aplastic anemia within 20 years.
At a ceremony on Friday, the two families were each given 500,000 yuan.
Since it was established in 2004, the cord blood bank has become the largest umbilical cord blood bank in China and achieved a 100 percent matching among Chinese patients.
It has performed over 6,800 stem cell transplants. Over 60.3 percent of patients survive over five years, meeting worldwide criteria. Umbilical cord blood can be utilized alone or as an assistance therapy if the patient is half matching (usually the parent) to minimize rejection and increase transplant outcomes.
