Newsletter for the Rotary Club of Western Endeavour - Issue No.: 1116 Issue Date: 21 Apr, 2024

When considering an appropriate way for Rotary in Western Australia to mark the centenary of Rotary in 2005, the concept of creating a bank of precious umbilical cord blood in Perth was born. After significant fund raising, grants (including $2m from Lotterywest) and community generosity, taking around 4 years, the funds were ready to be put to good use.

The moving of the Blood bank donor collection facility to Murray Street in the city allowed the long and complex task of renovating and adding to the building in Wellington street, with the building opening in December 2011 after having also been visited by RI World President Ray Kliningsmith.

Having a building is one thing but then followed the long, exacting and arduous task of gaining a licence and regulatory approvals through the Therapeutic Goods Administration where workflows, processes and safety were intricately examined. Equally vital was the development of protocols and ethics approvals with King Edward Hospital, where the donor cord blood is to be collected.

Other Cord Blood banks exist in the eastern states and overseas. The hope with the Perth facility is to collect a greater diversity of ethnic and genetic types to give clinicians increased options when searching for the necessary match.

The cord blood is unique in that it is possible to access adult human stem cells from the placenta immediately after a birth. It makes use of a product that would previously have been discarded. It is hoped over time that the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and disease associated with the immune system will be enhanced significantly.

Ongoing support and financing will always be an issue, but as our club was involved in the raising of funds to create this facility, it was inspiring to see the final product approaching its commissioning and commencement, which is due in a few months’ time.