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Who is needed as a donor? |
Most likely, you will match a person of your same ethnic race. Because there is a huge shortage of minorities in the national registry, this drive is targeted towards people of Asian, African-American, Hispanic, and other minority races. |
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How do you become a bone marrow stem cell donor? |
Initial Step... - You must be between the ages of 18-60, and in good health. - Give one tablespoon of blood and complete a National Marrow Donor Program consent form. - Your blood is HLA-typed and entered into a national computer database. |
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If You Match... |
- If a preliminary match is determined, additional blood tests are taken to determine if you are a precise match for a patient. - If the match is perfect, special counselors will give you detailed information and answer your questions. A doctor will ensure you are in excellent health to donate. - After being fully informed, YOU MAKE THE DECISION to become a donor. You will only be giving 5% of your good stem cells and these all regenerate in a few weeks. After the procedure you may experience soreness, like if you fell on your butt when rollerblading. Most donors can carry on a daily routine almost immediately after the procedure. - The donated stem cells are immediately sent to the transplant center and infused into the waiting patient. |
Email amsa-exec@mit.edu for more information.
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