The Brady Kohn Foundation
Our Mission: Education and Research
Founded in 2002, the Brady Kohn Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt
not-for-profit organization, created by Carolyn and Andrew Kohn,
in loving memory and in honor of their son, Andrew "Brady"
Kohn with the huge support of family and friends. This volunteer-driven
organization welcomes your participation.
Brady Kohn. In September
2001, two and a half year old Brady acquired an unknown hepatitis
virus that shut down his bone marrow and he developed aplastic
anemia. After unsuccessfully going through drug treatment, Brady
underwent a bone marrow transplant using umbilical cord stem cells
saved at the time of his own birth in 1999. Although signs of
the transplant were extremely promising, Brady experienced complications.
We lost this amazing life on March 28, 2002.
The Mission of the Brady Kohn Foundation
The Brady Kohn Foundation's mission is to educate the public about
the potential of stem cells from umbilical cord blood and to fund
non-embryonic stem cell research.
First Mission of the Brady Kohn Foundation:
Education
Umbilical Cord Blood
Education - A Mother's Donated Umbilical Cord Blood Is A Life
Saving Gift.
Fact: Umbilical cord blood
contains stem cells made up of red blood cells, white bloods cells
and platelets (red blood cells carry oxygen to organs and tissues,
white blood cells help protect the body from infection, and platelets
help control bleeding). These cells are used to treat more than
45 life-threatening diseases, including leukemia, blood disorders,
immune deficiencies, cancers and other genetic diseases.
Fact: Each year, approximately
30,000 patients in the U.S. are diagnosed with diseases that can
be treated with a stem cell transplant.
Fact: Expectant mothers can
donate the umbilical cord blood Free
of Charge without any impact to their labor or delivery,
at the time of their baby's birth. This cord blood can then be
used for life saving purposes instead of being thrown away.
The Brady Kohn Foundation is a partner with
The Elie Katz Umbilical Cord Blood Program at Community Blood
Services in Paramus, New Jersey to advocate the importance of
umbilical cord blood. Utilizing our strong volunteer base, the
Brady Kohn Foundation is partnering with Christiana Care Health
System in Newark, DE, OB-GYN physicians and educators and expectant
mothers, on the important role umbilical cord blood can have in
saving the lives of sick children and adults.
>Second Mission of the Brady Kohn Foundation:
Research
Fact: Children and adults,
undergoing any form of immunosuppression treatment (chemotherapy,
radiation, drug treatment), have an increased risk of infection
because these treatments destroy both diseased cells and critical
white blood cells.
Fact: Infection is one of
the most serious risks of immuno-suppression treatment and may
force a patient to postpone treatment. Even the simplest infections
can become very serious, and even life threatening.
The Brady Kohn Foundation is proud to have
as our Medical Advisor the world-renowned John E. Wagner, M.D.,
Scientific Director of Clinical Research, Blood and Marrow Transplant
and Stem Cell Institute of the University of Minnesota. Dr. Wagner
will identify the new generation of qualified researchers who
are discovering how best to treat those patients with compromised
immune systems so they can safely undergo their treatment process,
including stem cell transplantations.
The Brady Kohn Foundation is funding this vital
research across the country in the hope that the critical answers
so many patients and families are awaiting will be discovered.
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