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Bone marrow is a rich source of stem cells, the “parent cells” of all other blood cells. Stem cells also can be collected from blood through Apheresis; this process is called “peripheral blood stem cell” (PSBC) donation. CRBS supports the National Marrow Donor Program’s international donor registry by recruiting prospective marrow/stem cell donors.
- Healthy
- Age 18 – 60
- Complete a health-screening questionnaire
- Give a blood sample for tissue-typing
- Pay a test processing fee*
- Some requirements may differ from that of whole blood requirements
* CRBS may be able to cover some or all testing costs through grant funding (most often available for minority donors). Please be sure to ask whether a testing fee will apply when you register. For details, call the CRBS location in you area, toll-free 1-877-24 BLOOD (1-877-24-25663).
Marrow/stem cell transplants may represent the best hope of survival for people with life-threatening blood diseases such as aplastic anemia and some kinds of leukemia. Donors can be found within a patient’s family only about 30% of the time. The other 70% of patients need to find unrelated volunteer donors.
While donors of all types may help save lives, there is a serious shortage of marrow/stem cell donors who represent ethnic minorities. Matches most often are found between people of the same ethnic group. CRBS supports NMDP in its campaign to increase the ethnic diversity of its donor registry because a diverse group of prospective donors will give more transplant candidates a chance to find matches.
- Initial tissue-type match will be confirmed by additional testing.
- Meet with CRBS Special Donations staff to learn details of the procedure.
- Outpatient donation (marrow donation performed under anesthesia).
- You may have some soreness or restricted activity for 2 weeks after marrow donation.
- Donated stem cells transfused to patient.
- In time, transfused stem cells engraft and produce new, healthy blood cells.
Copyright 2005 Cascade Regional Blood Services
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