Q: What is bone marrow?
A: Bone marrow is the soft spongy tissue that lies within the hollow interior of long bones. In adults, marrow produces new blood cells.
Q: How do I become a marrow donor?
A: The first step to becoming a donor is ordering an oral swab kit. After answering a few health questions, the kit will be sent to you for you to use at home, by running the large q-tip along the inside of your cheek and mailing it back. It may take 6-8 weeks for the kit to arrive at your home, and another 6-8 weeks for them to tell you that you are officially in the registry. Your information will be kept in the system until you turn 61. If you are identified as a match at any point, you will be contacted to see if you are still interested in donating.
Q: How do I use the swab kit at home?
A: Click here for instructions on how to use
Q: How likely is it that I will match a patient and go on to donate?
A: On average, about one in 540 U.S. Be The Match Registry members will go on to donate to a patient. While you may never match a patient, you might be the only one out of more than 10.5 million registry members who can save a person's life!
Q. What can I expect from actual donation process?
A: If you are identified as a match to any patient in need, an additional blood test will be done to see if you are the best possible match for the patient. You will learn the patient's age, gender and disease (1 year after the transplant, if both donor and patient agree, you can contact each other). If the patient's doctor selects you as the best donor for the patient, there will be an information session so you can learn more about the donation process, risks and side effects. At that time, you will also learn the type of donation the patient's doctor has requested — either Bone marrow or Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC)
GET THE FACTS ABOUT THE TWO DONATION TYPES:
A: Bone marrow is the soft spongy tissue that lies within the hollow interior of long bones. In adults, marrow produces new blood cells.
Q: How do I become a marrow donor?
A: The first step to becoming a donor is ordering an oral swab kit. After answering a few health questions, the kit will be sent to you for you to use at home, by running the large q-tip along the inside of your cheek and mailing it back. It may take 6-8 weeks for the kit to arrive at your home, and another 6-8 weeks for them to tell you that you are officially in the registry. Your information will be kept in the system until you turn 61. If you are identified as a match at any point, you will be contacted to see if you are still interested in donating.
Q: How do I use the swab kit at home?
A: Click here for instructions on how to use
Q: How likely is it that I will match a patient and go on to donate?
A: On average, about one in 540 U.S. Be The Match Registry members will go on to donate to a patient. While you may never match a patient, you might be the only one out of more than 10.5 million registry members who can save a person's life!
Q. What can I expect from actual donation process?
A: If you are identified as a match to any patient in need, an additional blood test will be done to see if you are the best possible match for the patient. You will learn the patient's age, gender and disease (1 year after the transplant, if both donor and patient agree, you can contact each other). If the patient's doctor selects you as the best donor for the patient, there will be an information session so you can learn more about the donation process, risks and side effects. At that time, you will also learn the type of donation the patient's doctor has requested — either Bone marrow or Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC)
GET THE FACTS ABOUT THE TWO DONATION TYPES:
Marrow Donation-Only 20% of donors in the U.S. donate marrow this way
-This is a minor surgical procedure -Donor is admitted into the hospital in the morning, and can go home in the afternoon. -Donor is anesthetized and feels no pain during the procedure -Donor is laying on their stomach, and the doctor inserts a hollow needle into the rear hip bone to suck out some liquid marrow -There is no cutting or stitching required -Only 1-5% of donor's marrow is taken, so donor's immune system stays strong. The marrow replaces itself completely in 4-6 weeks. -After donation, donor may feel some soreness or aching in the lower back for up to 1-2 weeks (pain meds are given) -Return to work within 1-2 days **For more information about this process, read my sister's donor testimonial here |
PBSC Donation-No surgery required
-Process is similar to donating blood -No anesthesia is used during process -This method is used in 80% of transplants -Donor receives daily injections of a drug called Filgrastim for five days, to increase the number of blood-forming cells in the bloodstream -On the 5th day, some of the donor's blood is removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood-forming cells. The remaining blood is returned to the donor through the other arm. -Side effects may include headaches or muscle soreness for up to 5 days after the transplant -Can work while taking Filgrastim and return to work the next day after transplant **For more information on PBSC collection, check out this video on one donor's experience here |
Q: Who pays for the donation process?
A: Donors never pay for donating, and are never paid to donate. All medical costs for the donation procedure are covered by the donor registry program or by the patient's medical insurance, as are travel expenses if there are any and other non-medical costs.
Q: After joining the registry, can I change my mind?
A: Yes. Marrow donation is voluntary. If you decide you do not want to donate, let them know right away so they can find another donor ASAP.
Q: How often can I donate?
A: Since the donor's body regenerates marrow completely within 4-6 weeks, he/she can donate several times in their lifetime. My doctor told Shannon she could donate 2-3 more times.
Q. Can I be a match to a family member?
A: Only 30% of patients have a relative who is a match; the remaining 70% must search the bone marrow registry.
Q: Why is it important for people of color to join the registry?
A: Patients usually find matches in donors of similar ancestry
Here is a racial breakdown of who is in the donor registry:
Q: Is there anything that prevents me from becoming a donor?
**these limitations are not meant to discriminate, they are meant to protect the safety of the donor and provide the best possible outcomes for the patient.
Age: You can be a donor if you are between the ages of 18-60, but doctor's typically select donors aged 18-44 if they have a choice, because younger donors produce more and higher-quality cells, resulting in more successful transplants.
AIDS/HIV: If you have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, you cannot register to become a potential volunteer donor
Autoimmune Diseases: If you have certain autoimmune diseases that have not been successfully treated, you will not be able to donate.
Bleeding Problems: You will not be able to register if you have a serious bleeding condition, such as hemophilia, blood clots, Aplastic Anemia, or Factor v Leiden.
Brain Injuries: If you have ever had a significant brain injury or surgery, you are unable to register.
Cancer: If you have cancer, even after treatment or recovery, you are unable to register.
Heart Disease: If you have a heart disease, stroke, bypass surgery, you cannot register.
Hepatitis: If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis B or C you cannot register.
Kidney Problems: You cannot register if you have chronic kidney problems. If you donated a kidney and have recovered, you may register.
Liver Disease: If you have a serious liver disease like Hep B, C or Wilson's Disease, you cannot register.
Men who have sex with men: Men who have had sex with other men in the past 5 years are currently not eligible to register as a potential donor, but the FDA periodically revisits this issue.
Pregnant: You are unable to donate WHILE pregnant, but can register before or after pregnancy.
Tuberculosis: If you have had active TB within the last 2 years, you cannot register.
Weight: If your BMI is too high or too low at time of transplant, you may be at risk and will not be able to donate.
**This is a general list but may not include everything. Any other severe medical issues, such as life-threatening allergies, severe arthritis, asthma requiring daily oral steroids, back or spine fractures, delusional mental conditions, diabetes requiring insulin, have had certain vaccinations like smallpox, chronic Lyme Disease your situation may need to be examined further to see if you are eligible to donate.
A: Donors never pay for donating, and are never paid to donate. All medical costs for the donation procedure are covered by the donor registry program or by the patient's medical insurance, as are travel expenses if there are any and other non-medical costs.
Q: After joining the registry, can I change my mind?
A: Yes. Marrow donation is voluntary. If you decide you do not want to donate, let them know right away so they can find another donor ASAP.
Q: How often can I donate?
A: Since the donor's body regenerates marrow completely within 4-6 weeks, he/she can donate several times in their lifetime. My doctor told Shannon she could donate 2-3 more times.
Q. Can I be a match to a family member?
A: Only 30% of patients have a relative who is a match; the remaining 70% must search the bone marrow registry.
Q: Why is it important for people of color to join the registry?
A: Patients usually find matches in donors of similar ancestry
Here is a racial breakdown of who is in the donor registry:
- 73% White
- 9% Hispanic or Latino
- 8% African American or Black
- 7% Asian
- 3% Bi- or Multi-racial
Q: Is there anything that prevents me from becoming a donor?
**these limitations are not meant to discriminate, they are meant to protect the safety of the donor and provide the best possible outcomes for the patient.
Age: You can be a donor if you are between the ages of 18-60, but doctor's typically select donors aged 18-44 if they have a choice, because younger donors produce more and higher-quality cells, resulting in more successful transplants.
AIDS/HIV: If you have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, you cannot register to become a potential volunteer donor
Autoimmune Diseases: If you have certain autoimmune diseases that have not been successfully treated, you will not be able to donate.
Bleeding Problems: You will not be able to register if you have a serious bleeding condition, such as hemophilia, blood clots, Aplastic Anemia, or Factor v Leiden.
Brain Injuries: If you have ever had a significant brain injury or surgery, you are unable to register.
Cancer: If you have cancer, even after treatment or recovery, you are unable to register.
Heart Disease: If you have a heart disease, stroke, bypass surgery, you cannot register.
Hepatitis: If you have been diagnosed with Hepatitis B or C you cannot register.
Kidney Problems: You cannot register if you have chronic kidney problems. If you donated a kidney and have recovered, you may register.
Liver Disease: If you have a serious liver disease like Hep B, C or Wilson's Disease, you cannot register.
Men who have sex with men: Men who have had sex with other men in the past 5 years are currently not eligible to register as a potential donor, but the FDA periodically revisits this issue.
Pregnant: You are unable to donate WHILE pregnant, but can register before or after pregnancy.
Tuberculosis: If you have had active TB within the last 2 years, you cannot register.
Weight: If your BMI is too high or too low at time of transplant, you may be at risk and will not be able to donate.
**This is a general list but may not include everything. Any other severe medical issues, such as life-threatening allergies, severe arthritis, asthma requiring daily oral steroids, back or spine fractures, delusional mental conditions, diabetes requiring insulin, have had certain vaccinations like smallpox, chronic Lyme Disease your situation may need to be examined further to see if you are eligible to donate.
