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Why do we need donors?
Bone marrow or stem cell transplants are necessary when the bone marrow
becomes diseased or damaged so that it can't function normally.
Sometimes the damage to the bone marrow is a result of treatment for leukaemia
or a related cancer of the blood. In order to destroy all the leukaemia
cells it may be necessary to use treatment so strong that it completely
destroys the bone marrow, in which case a bone-marrow or stem cell
transplant must be given to restore blood cell production.
Without the stem cells to produce blood the patient will not survive. So you
can see, when we say 'bone marrow saves lives' we really mean it.
Where do donors come from?
Sometimes an appropriate donor can be found
within the patient's immediate family as it is more likely that their
'tissue type' will match. However, only 30% of donors are found this
way, and this is when we rely on the British Bone Marrow Registry
to find another suitable donor. And this is the reason we really need
people like you who are prepared to help save a life.
It is your genes that determine your tissue type. But there are other
factors that determine the probability of finding a compatible tissue
typed donor for a patient. Some tissue types are more common in particular
ethnic backgrounds. Therefore, in addition to matching a donor and
patient's tissue type it's also important to match the ethnic background.
By doing this, the transplant has a better chance of being successful.
Can I help?
We're extremely pleased that you've asked yourself if you can help, because
we are always looking for new bone marrow donors to help save the
lives of people who desperately need a transplant. Before you can
become a donor though there's some important information you need
to read and some things that we'll need to ask you too, but for now
all we need to know is:
Are you aged between 18 and 49?
and
Have you, or are you prepared to give blood?
If you answered yes to both these questions, then - providing there are
no medical reasons that prevent you from doing so - you may well be
able to become a bone marrow donor. Just click here to be taken to our online enquiry form and we'll send
you more information and details of where you can go to register.
Thank you for taking the time to find out whether you can save a life.
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Ethnic blood donors are pretty rare, and ethnic bone marrow donors are rarer still. But Pravin Patel, a keen amateur photographer, can tick both boxes. As a regular blood donor for 28 years, Pravin joined the BBMR register because he knew how important it was to have ethnic minority donors represented on the register.
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