Why We Need Donors
7,500
Americans are actively searching for a bone marrow transplant on the national registry
30 %
the chance patients find a match from their family members
70%
of patients have to depend on finding a match from a complete stranger on the donor registry
2%
of the population is on the national registry, but some of these people will not be reachable or able to donate when asked
Chance of Finding a Match Based on your Ethnicity
75%
Of Caucasian patients are able to find an unrelated match
45%
Of Latino patients are able to find an unrelated match
40%
Of Asian-American patients are able to find an unrelated match
25%
Of African-American patients are able to find an unrelated match
<1%
Of Multi-Racial patients are able to find an unrelated match
Percent of Registered Donors By Ethnicity
85%
Of registered donors are Caucasian
9%
Of registered donors are Latino
6%
Of registered donors are African American and Asian
1%
Of registered donors are Native American
As a Possible Donor...
1-5%
of your bone marrow is needed to save someone's life
1/430
chance that you will be a match
10
minutes is all it takes to register to save a life
How do i register as a bone marrow donor?
The registration process is simple. All you have to do is fill out a form, and a cheek swab kit will be sent to your door. Once you get your swab kit, swab your cheek and send the kit back to a lab where your swabs will be tested for any matches. This entire process is free of charge and is a quick and easy. For more information about becoming a registered bone marrow donor:
What are the requirements for registering?
To register as a bone marrow donor, you must be:
-18-60 years old
-be in good health
-be willing to donate marrow if you are a match
Are Family members good matches?
It depends. Out of all relatives, siblings are the closest matches with a 25% chance of being a compatible match. Parents and other relatives are unlikely matches. When a patient's sibling is not a compatible match, then the patient must rely on a stranger from the bone marrow registry.
Only 30 percent of patients can receive a transplant from a family member; the other 70 percent are relying on a stranger from the registry to donate.
Why does ethnicity matter?
Bone marrow matches are best when the donor has similar DNA to the patient. This is because of the graft vs. host scenario.
People with similar ethnic backgrounds tend to also have similar DNA patterns, thus creating more compatible matches. This explains why it is much harder for ethnic minorities to find compatible matches.