Given the massive advances achieved in stem cell therapy in recent years, there is little doubt that the world?s second annual Stem Cell Awareness Day on 23 September 2009 is deserving of significant recognition.

?Stem cell therapy is the new frontier of medicine and we regularly receive news from around the world of new breakthroughs in the field,? says Dr Yvonne Holt of private South African stem cell bank Netcells Cryogenics, a company that collects and stores umbilical cord blood stem cells from newborns. ?Stem cells have long been used in the treatment of certain cancers, but now research is showing applications in many other areas of medicine. ?However,? she cautions, ?much of this work is still experimental. However, the progress made in recent years is nevertheless extremely exciting.?

She says that examples of such work include recent news from Australia that stem cells have been used to help ?mend? hips, thereby helping patients to avoid hip replacement operations. And, there are human trials taking place to see whether stem cells can help treat damaged nerves in newly injured individuals. Work is also being done with stems cells in the treatment of Crohn?s disease, corneal disease, stroke, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, cartilage replacement for arthritis; the list goes on and on.

Important steps have furthermore been made with regard to the development of stem cell legislation in South Africa over the past year. According to Dr Holt, this will be finalised next year. She says that the new legislation represents a ?huge breakthrough? for stem cell medicine and research in South Africa.

The Department of Health also played a part in the development of the legislation, they called an expert team to write the policy document on stem cells. Once complete it will form part of Chapter 8 of the National Health Act, which deals with human tissue storage and transplantation.

And on the other side of the globe in the USA, President Barrack Obama authorised a relaxation of America?s restrictions on federal funding of embryonic stem cell research earlier this year. Stem cell researchers there fought an uphill battle with detractors for years and have only recently made significant headway, largely because stem cell research is showing such promise. However, some states in the US are still vigorously opposed to stem cell research.

Dr Holt says that there are more-and-more potential uses for umbilical cord stem cells coming to light. The banking of umbilical cords is therefore a potential investment in the healthy future of the family.

?Umbilical cord blood is an excellent and well proven source of stem cells for bone marrow transplantation, which is an acceptable form of medical treatment across the world for a number of serious diseases,? she continues.

She explains that Netcells Cryogenics is not routinely involved in any form of therapeutic application of retrieved stem cells, but provides a collection and storage service of the highest repute, ensuring that the unique opportunity of harvesting umbilical cord blood stem cells is not missed. These cryogenically stored cells can be retrieved at any time should the need arise. It is likely that, over the next few years, with advances in medical science, several new and entirely ethical applications of stem cell therapy will become part of routine medical practice.

With massive progress now being made on this new frontier of medicine, and increasing acceptance of its importance into the future, there really is just cause for celebration this Stem Cell Awareness Day.