Lifelines (Fall 2000) - Why Register to be a Marrow Donor?

Why Register to be a Marrow Donor?

Since 1987, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has facilitated more than 8,550 unrelated marrow transplants. In the Northern California region, more than 100,000 volunteers have given blood samples to join NMDP’s registry of potential donors.

At any given time, there is an average of 3,000 patients searching the (NMDP) Registry for a marrow match. A transplant may be their only chance for survival. Although some patients with aplastic anemia, leukemia or other cancers have a genetically matched family member who can donate, about 70 percent do not. These patients’ lives depend on finding an unrelated individual with a compatible HLA tissue type. Because the characteristics of marrow are inherited, a patient is most likely to find a match within his/her own racial or ethnic group. There is a special need for volunteer marrow donors from the African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native communities. The more volunteers the NMDP is able to recruit from these communities, the better chance patients of every racial and ethnic background will have of finding matched donors.

Why We Need Diversity
As of June 30, 1999, 3,682,193 volunteer marrow donors are registered with the National Marrow Donor Program. Recruiting minorities to be volunteer donors continues to be a our focus.

Racial/Ethnic Designation	Number of Donors
African American	290,027
American Indian/Alaska Native	49,530
Asian/Pacific Islander	214,195
Caucasian	2,092,421
Hispanic	286,570
Multiple Race/Other	57,602
Unknown	691,848

Funding
When someone volunteers to join the registry of potential donors, a blood sample is taken to be HLA tissue typed. Because funding is limited and the need to diversify the registry is so critical, the U.S. government covers this HLA testing fee for ethnic minorities. A fee for this test may be requested from Caucasian volunteers who wish to join the registry. The cost of this test may be between $65.00 and $100.00. BCP maintains a waiting list for donors that are interested in registering but are unable to pay for the typing costs. These potential donors will be notified by the BCP Marrow Department when funding is available.

Once a donor is requested for further testing or to consider marrow donation all costs are paid for by the NMDP.

How Can I Join The Registry?
If you live in Northern California and would like to join the registry or receive additional information about the program, call the BCP toll-free number at 1-800-479-4611 and ask for the Marrow Department.

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