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Why Choose the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program

Why Choose the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program

The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) serves the needs of children who require a blood or marrow transplant to replace stem cells to treat their illness. Our program is one of the largest pediatric programs in the nation, giving us deep knowledge of every step of the process.

What we offer:

  • A focus on fast action. Children who require a blood or bone marrow transplant are often very sick, requiring immediate attention by an experienced team. At CHOP, you will find just that. Our program coordinators will manage all the time-sensitive steps for your child’s care.

  • Help with insurance. Our insurance specialist will obtain insurance authorizations and approvals. We will counsel your family about any out-of-pocket costs you will need to pay according to your child’s specific insurance benefits. Our authorization time is as short as 24 hours.
  • Everything your child needs in one place. All of your child’s transplant needs take place at a single location where your child’s comfort and safety are everyone’s priority. This includes the inpatient unit, the outpatient clinic, the facility where we collect the stem cells used in treatment and a laboratory where those cells are prepared for the transplant. Should your child need it, the world-class Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at CHOP is specially equipped to manage any serious side effects that your child may experience.
  • Cutting-edge cell therapy technology. CHOP is one of the few pediatric transplant centers to have a Good Manufacturing Process stem cell processing laboratory. This means that our laboratory meets the highest standard in the eyes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We also have the most advanced tissue-typing laboratory, which uses cutting-edge techniques to provide detailed profiles of your child’s disease to aid in treatment planning.
  • Excellence at all levels of care. CHOP attained Magnet® recognition as part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet Recognition Program®. This voluntary program for hospitals recognizes excellence in nursing. Our nurses are certified as chemotherapy and biotherapy providers. CHOP BMT nurses are specially trained and experienced in the care of pediatric patients receiving cellular therapy.
  • Options for every child. If your child needs an allogeneic (non-self) transplant because they do not have a fully matched family member, we have many options.
    • CHOP is a member of the National Marrow Donor Program, which connects patients without a matched family member with appropriate, well-matched donors from around the country.
    • Statistics show that we find a suitable alternative donor faster than the national average for providers.
    • Our program also enrolls qualified patients in clinical trials as needed to allow for the use of mismatched donors.
    • We are approved to perform high-level cell manipulation to reduce the risk of rejection.

We are here to answer all your questions and support your child and family in every way.

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