Nearly half a million people have joined Gift of Life Marrow Registry as volunteer donors, offering to give a peripheral blood stem cell donation to a stranger facing a life-threatening disease. The decision to sign up gives you the chance to have a positive impact on both the patient and dozens of people in their family and community. This is a living donation, so you may also have the chance to meet your recipient in the future!
In 2023, Gift of Life completed the most stem cell transplants in its history, saving 431 lives! Yet every year, more than 18,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with illnesses where a blood stem cell transplant is their best option for treatment. While 30% of them are able to find a related donor within their family, the other 70% must rely on the registry to find a matching donor.
“The chance of matching another person’s tissue type closely enough for a transplant is very low,” said Dr. Bruce Lenes, Gift of Life’s Medical Director. “In spite of these odds, Gift of Life finds potential matches for patients every day, and the impact on someone who receives a transplant is incredible – your stem cells have the power to cure cancer and other diseases.”
The impact on the transplant recipient is huge: they are given a second chance at life! Stem cell donor Raphael Eidelman recently met the man whose life he saved, Mitchell Stern. Mitchell was battling myelodysplastic syndrome – a form of blood cancer – until receiving the transplant, but is now enjoying life with his wife and daughter. Raphael joined Gift of Life while an undergraduate when his fraternity, AEPi, held a donor recruitment drives in 2019 at Cal State Northridge.
Those 18-35 years old and in general good health are invited to join the registry. Signing up to be a blood stem cell donor can be done in two ways: order a registration kit from Gift of Life Marrow Registry’s website, or visit an in-person drive being held in your area. No blood test is needed to join the registry; the registration kit contains swabs that are brushed against the inside of your cheek and used to test your tissue type. Tissue type is important as a match is needed for a stem cell transplant to be successful.
“Once you complete your health questionnaire and your swab kit, your tissue type, age and gender at birth will be entered in the registry, but your personal identity is protected by Gift of Life,” said Donor Recruitment Manager Christopher Camacho. “The database can be searched by transplant centers worldwide, to give patients everywhere their best chance of finding a matching donor.”
If you are found as a preliminary match, Gift of Life notifies you immediately to offer you the chance to save someone’s life. A blood test will be taken at that time to confirm you are the best match for the patient, along with a thorough medical exam to ensure that your safety as a donor is protected.
Working around your schedule, a donation date will be arranged. Gift of Life’s in-house Adelson Collection Center in Boca Raton, Fla. is a preferred option for many donors, who can enjoy a “donation vacation” for several days as they prepare to donate. There is no cost to donors, with travel/transportation, hotel arrangements, and a food stipend covered by the registry.
Donors will receive Filgrastim for several days before the collection, to encourage the growth of more stem cells in the circulating blood stream. The collection process, called apheresis, takes four to six hours, with blood being drawn from one arm, processed by the apheresis machine to separate out the stem cells, and the remaining blood is returned to the other arm.
Side effects are mild, with some donors experiencing headache or bone ache from the Filgrastim (which dissipates soon after donating).Most donors feel fully recovered within 24-48 hours, and their stem cells regenerate completely in a few weeks.
In the United States, donors and recipients must remain anonymous for one year after the transplant, but through the transplant center and the registry, they may exchange cards and notes that contain no identifying information. After one year, if both parties agree, they may exchange contact information or meet in person. Gift of Life often invites donors and recipients to meet during a special occasion at one of our public or private events, such as a gala, sporting event, or fundraiser. These public introductions help to spread the word about the incredible impact a stem cell donation has for both the patient and their family and encourage others to join the registry.
If your recipient is outside the U.S., each country has its own regulations about meetings; some allow them after one or two years, but a few allow only anonymous contact.
Donating stem cells is your best chance at saving someone’s life and giving them a future with their family and community! Please join us and say “yes” if you are ever found as a match for a patient.
Reference:
https://bloodstemcell.hrsa.gov/donor-information/donate-bone-marrow/need-more-marrow-donors