Blood Donor Basics
Your health is important to us, and we want to help you maintain it.
Bone Marrow
Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer and you could be the cure. People battling blood cancers, such as leukemia, often require a bone marrow transplant to survive. Sometimes family members can be a match for a patient in need of a bone marrow transplant, however most patients who need a transplant will not find a match in their family. This means they are dependent upon finding a match from the National Donor Marrow Program (NMDP).
That’s where you come in! In order to be identified as a possible match, you need to first join the Be The Match Registry®.
Joining the Be The Match Registry® is Easy!
- A simple swab of the inside of your cheek is all it takes to join the registry
- The swab will collect cells that will then be tissue typed and added to the registry
- If you are a match for a patient in need a representative with the Be The Match Registry® will contact you
Click here to ask us how you can help (select NMDP from the drop down options).
Chances of Being a Match
Not everyone on Be The Match Registry® will match a patient and be asked to donate. In fact, the chances of donating are about 1 in 540. Most donors who have been a match report that donating marrow is a very positive experience and would do it again.
For more information on registering as a potential donor or holding a “Be the Match” donor drive, please visit the National Marrow Donor Program Web site at www.marrow.org.
