Help spread the word about the need to register for your country's bone marrow registry and diversify its database. The 12 million potential donors worldwide can help save lives. Even if you do not live in the same country, you match someone or help find a compatible donor.

THE TWO TYPES OF DONATION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgCWh9-nQHo
Scroll to 2:15 to see the two types of donation.

There is discomfort but the level pain is a MYTH! It is a safe, quick, low-risk procedure that is never done if it is a danger to the donor.

70% OF PATIENTS WILL NOT MATCH SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY.

Many registrants are required because the chance of finding a match requires finding the right combination of matching human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) between donor and recipient. Chances of a person matching another person can be between 1 in 20 000 (especially if all people are in the same ethnic group) to 1 in 750 000 (even greater if a person has a rare tissue type). If a person's matches are not on the registry, then you have a bigger problem.

There is no guarantee a patient will find a match. It is harder if you are in an underrepresented donor pool, such as a patient who is African Caribbean, Chinese, South Asian, or with parents of distinctly different ethnicities.

FAQs and where to go:
Hema Quebec
http://www.hema-quebec.qc.ca

OneMatch (Canada, except Quebec)
http://onematch.ca/registry

National Marrow Donor Program (US)
http://www.marrow.org

DKMS Americas (US)
http://www.dkmsamericas.org

Anthony Nolan Trust (UK)
http://www.anthonynolan.org.uk

To be added to the registry you must complete a consent form (to be added only, not to consent to donating marrow) and have a blood test or swab test (US and many Canadian donors can even get a kit to do the mouth swab at home). That's it. (read less)

Help spread the word about the need to register for your country's bone marrow registry and diversify its database. The 12 million potential donors worldwide can help save lives. Even if you do not live in the same country, you match someone or help find a compatible donor.

THE TWO TYPES OF DONATION:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgCWh9-nQHo
Scroll to 2:15 to see the two types of donation.

There is discomfort but the level pain is a MYTH! It is a safe, quick, low-risk procedure that is... (read more)