Every year, 18,000 patients are diagnosed with life-threatening blood cancers or other blood disorders that could be cured or treated with a blood stem cell transplant. But 70% of them don't have a fully matched donor in their family. They depend on NMDP℠ to find an unrelated donor. Your healthy blood stem cells may be a patient's best or only hope for a cure.
Become a potential lifesaver to patients battling blood cancers or other blood diseases who need a blood stem cell donor.
1. Register online
Answer simple questions about your medical history to make sure you meet health guidelines.
2. Swab cheek
Your sample will be tested, and your genetic type will be added to the NMDP Registry℠.
3. Get matched
Because of the genetic complexity of matching donors to patients, it could be a few months or many years before you’re matched to a patient.
4. Donate
Patients and their families are counting on you to keep your promise to donate, if needed. You could be someone’s only hope for a cure.
Frequently asked questions
You probably have a few questions about what it takes to save a life. We get it—we'd have them too.
There’s a lot of science behind matching donors and patients, but the key component is HLA, human leukocyte antigens. These are proteins found on cells in your body. Once we receive your cheek swabs, we test your DNA for these markers and add your genetic type, or HLA, to our database. Doctors search that database to find the best HLA matches for their patients. Doctors may also look at other donor criteria such as age, sex and past infections.
Once you’ve returned your swab kit, it’ll take 6 to 8 weeks to be added to the registry. After that, you could be called for a patient anytime: in five months, seven years or possibly never. If you’re between 18 and 35, you have a better chance of being matched. That’s because research has shown that cells from younger donors lead to better long-term survival for patients. Doctors also request donors in that age group 75% of the time.
The median time to full recovery from peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation (used 90% of the time) is one week, although many donors report being fully recovered within two days of donation. PBSC donors should be able to return to work, school and other activities the next day or as soon as they feel recovered.
In either case, donors should follow the advice given to them by the doctor at the apheresis center or collection center.
During that time, protecting the personal information of our donors has been a top priority. Learn more in our privacy policy.
Which describes you?*