East Alabama Health Helps Turn Birth Tissue into Life-Saving Skin Grafts

OPELIKA, Ala.­—Representatives and employees from East Alabama Health (EAH), telaGen, Synergy Biologics, and the Auburn and Opelika Chambers of Commerce gathered on Thursday, Aug. 24, to recognize the impact of birth tissue donations by mothers at East Alabama Medical Center (EAMC).

Mothers giving birth by C-section at East Alabama Medical Center have the option to donate birth tissue (the placenta), which can then be used in healing up to 50 other patients who are undergoing wound care.

“It’s so important that we acknowledge that since 2017, more than 1,100 placenta donations have been made by new moms in our community,” said Laura Grill, president and CEO of East Alabama Health. “And, with our Wound Treatment Center coming on board this year to treat patients with skin grafts made from birth tissue donations, it’s awesome that this circle of life-enhancement has come to fruition.”

The “Gift of Healing Celebration Ceremony” offered an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate the impact that birth tissue donations from EAMC donor mothers have had.

The birth tissue donation program at EAMC began in 2017 through a partnership between East Alabama Health (EAH) and telaGen. telaGen provides support and education for donor mothers on the impact that birth tissue donation can have, as well as handles the screening, storage and distribution of the tissue. Since the program’s inauguration, more than 1,100 mothers have donated birth tissue at EAMC.

“We’re very proud of what East Alabama Health has done,” said David Hill, CEO of telaGen and Synergy Biologics. “Our goal through these donation programs is to provide more access for patients to advanced biologics.”

Donating birth tissue through telaGen prevents the waste of crucial tissue and allows for the creation of amniotic tissue skin grafts by Synergy Biologics. These grafts are used during wound treatment procedures to promote healing by improving wound closure and reducing scar formation.

“Essentially what you’re doing is your putting those regenerative proteins anywhere on the body and it’s going to regenerate health functional tissue,” Hill said.

Amniotic tissue is highly sought after for wound healing due to its regenerative properties. The tissues can be used to treat burns, ulcers, gum disease, spinal therapy and a wide range of surgical procedure.

Donor mother Stacy Zehner received treatment using birth tissue from her mother when she was born without skin on her legs, a skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa simplex. In March, she decided to donate her tissue after recently giving birth to her daughter, Paisley.

“When I was born, I had no skin on my legs, so we knew a little bit about it,” Zehner said. “I wanted to be able to help people, especially if their kid is born with no skin or anything like that.”

The program has now come full circle at EAMC, as the Wound Treatment Center, has begun treating patients with skin grafts made by Synergy from amniotic birth tissue. Heather Bayles, manager of the Wound Treatment Center, highlighted the program which sees patients receiving skin grafts for 10 weeks in a row. .

“We can’t wait until we finish healing our first skin graft patients,” Bayles said. “The goal is to help these wounds heal faster and ease our patients’ pain. Just to know that we are providing high quality, compassionate health care to our patients means a lot.”

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About East Alabama Health

East Alabama Health encompasses East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika, EAMC-Lanier in Valley, the Spencer Cancer Center in Opelika, the Auburn Medical Pavilion and a host of other key medical clinic and practices that help provide a continuum of care to patients throughout an 11-county area. EAMC is a 314-bed regional referral hospital with a 26-bed Skilled Nursing Facility, while EAMC-Lanier provides inpatient services as well as a nursing home, an acute rehab unit and an ambulatory surgery center. East Alabama Health employs about 3,500 people and is the second largest employer in the region, trailing only Auburn University. For more information, visit www.eastalabamahealth.org.

About telaGen

telaGen helps mothers provide the gift of donation to donor recipients. It was created to expand the opportunity for mothers to give the gift of healing to those in need. We are dedicated to launching and developing new birth tissue donation programs with our partner OBGYNs and hospitals. This will provide more patients in need the ability to receive donated tissues to aid in their healing journey. telaGen’s vision is to be the premier provider for birth tissue donation programs for patients and communities throughout the nation. For more information, visit http://www.telagenllc.com/

About Synergy Biologics

Synergy Biologics is a vertically integrated biotechnology company focused on the development of a safe, reliable, effective, and affordable suite of products designed to enable the physician to achieve the best possible outcomes for each patient. Through our ability to control each and every aspect of tissue transplant, from recovery and screening through processing and distribution, we are committed to providing the very best quality to our customers.

All tissue is recovered from pre-screened, healthy, living donors during cesarean childbirth. Donor selection, tissue recovery and processing protocols adhere to all tissue banking standards to ensure patient safety, and are in accordance with standards, regulations, statutes and/or directives of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other licensing and/or the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). For more information, visit https://www.synergybiologics.net/.

Photos

EAMC Executive Director of Women's Services Rosemary Cummings (right) stands with donor mother, Stacy Zehner, and her daughter, Paisley. Zehner spoke about her decision to donate as being influenced by her own treatment as an infant using her mother's birth tissue after being born without skin on her legs.

East Alabama Health President and CEO Laura Grill and David Hill, CEO of telaGen and Synergy Biologics, reflect on the impact that birth tissue donations at EAMC have had since the donation program began in 2017. Over 1,100 mothers have donated since 2017 with each donation being used to help up to 50 wound care patients.

CEO of telaGen and Synergy Biologics David Hill speaks about the process of turning birth tissue into skin grafts that can be used for healing wound treatment patients. East Alabama Medical Center's Wound Treatment Center began treating patients in May 2023 with skin grafts manufactured by Synergy Biologics.