With medical breakthroughs advancing fast, popular SA singer Kurt Darren and wife Dunay decided to store their first child's stem cells as "a valuable form of insurance for her future health".
Darren said in a statement that he and his wife made the decision to store their child's stem cells long before the birth of their little Kyrah on November 10.
"If you can do something extra to help ensure your child will have a better chance at a healthy and happy life, why wouldn't you do it?" said Darren.
"The most important thing for any parent is to know their children are safe. By storing their stem cells you have the peace of mind of knowing they will have a much better chance of being eligible for current and future stem cell treatments that could one day save their life. That is a very valuable investment to make."
The Darren's used a Pretoria-based company called Cryo-Save, which says it tests the viability of every cord blood and tissue sample harvested from the umbilical cord after the birth takes place, ensuring parents of the quality of the stem cells before storage takes place.
"Our aim is to give parents peace of mind relating to the quality of the cord blood and tissue sample, giving them the opportunity to do their best to provide their child with a potential means of assistance and coverage against possible future disabling illnesses," said Louis Rehrl, Managing Director of Cryo-Save South Africa.
For over a decade, it has been possible to store a baby's umbilical cord blood stem cells at birth for future medical use later in the life of the child.
IS THIS A GOOD IDEA? Share your views with us on Facebook or Twitter @timeslive
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
