CHECK YOUR ELIGIBILITY
Your age, location and current health status are important. Check to see if you can become a blood stem cell donor.
Donor Registrations are Falling. Patients Are Waiting.
A simple cheek swab today could give someone a secod chance at life. Registation takes less than 5 minutes.
The Crisis Is Real
Despite over 44 million registered donors worldwide, the number of new and active donors is declining sharply.
70%
Patients Rely on strangers
70% of patients must find an unrelated donor to survive.
40M
Registered Donors
But active donor numbers are declining worldwide.
3 Min
Every 3 Minutes
Someone is diagnosed with blood cancer somewhere in the world.
Why This Matters
Behind every statistic is a real person waiting for a match. A child with leukemia. A parent with lymphoma. A young adult with aplastic anemia.
Patients' survival depends on younger, healthier matches
Young donors aged 17-40 have the best outcomes.
Ethnic minorities face extreme difficulty finding matches
Genetic diversity in the registry is critically low.
Every missed registration means another patient waiting
Thousands are waiting for matches right now.
The Diversity Gap
Finding a stem cell match requires very specific genetic compatibility. Because genetic markers vary significantly across ethnic groups, patients from minority backgrounds face much slimmer odds.
Why it exists
Registries lack diversity — most donors are white
HLA types are more varied in global majority communities
Fewer people from minority backgrounds register
- Historical mistrust, low awareness, and access barriers
Percentage able to find a matching donor in U.K
Registration Is Simple
The impact is profound. It takes less than 5 minutes to register and could save a life.
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Register Online
Fill out a simple form. No needles, no appointments.
5 minutes
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Receive Swab Kit
We'll mail you a cheek swab kit with instructions.
1 week
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Swab & Return
Swab your cheek and mail it back. All postage prepaid.
2 minutes
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Join the Registry
You're added to the international donor registry.
Done!
Don’t Let Myths Stop You
Fear and misconceptions are holding people back. Here’s the truth about stem cell donation.
MYTH
Donation requires painful bone marrow extraction from the hip
FACT
90% of donations are via peripheral blood, similar to blood donation
MYTH
The process takes weeks and requires hospitalization of donor
FACT
Most donations are outpatient and take only a few hours
About bone marrow donation.
❖ Blood Stem cell/bone marrow transplant is most often the last hope of a cure for different types of blood cancer and disorders.
❖ Blood cancers such as Leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma can be treated with a blood stem cell transplant.
❖ Blood stem cell donation is almost as simple as blood donation. However, it is difficult to find an HLA matched donor for a patient in need. Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) are proteins or markers found on most cells in your body. Your immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not.
❖ Most registered donors do not get a chance to donate as it is very rare to be identified as a match to a patient with the same HLA Typing. The probability of finding a donor is 1 in 10000 to 1 in a million.
Stem Cell Donation – Frequently Asked Questions
Stem cells are special cells in your blood that can grow into healthy new blood cells. They are used to treat blood cancers and disorders such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell disease.
There are two main methods:
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Donation: 90% of donations. Similar to giving blood but done through a machine that collects stem cells from your blood.
Bone Marrow Donation: 10% of donations. Taken from the pelvic bone under anaesthetic.
PBSC: You may feel flu-like symptoms for a few days due to injections that boost stem cells.
Bone marrow: You may feel sore or bruised for a few days afterwards.
It varies by charity, but generally:
Ages 16–55
Some organisations only accept people aged 17–30 because younger donors provide the best outcomes.
In good general health
Sign up online with a donor charity (e.g., DKMS, Anthony Nolan, KKLT or NHSBT).
Not always. Most people never donate, but if you’re a match for someone in need, you could save their life.
Patients are most likely to find a match from someone who shares their ethnic background. Match chances for many BAME patients remain much lower than for white European patients.
A match is when your tissue type (HLA type) closely aligns with a patient’s. This helps the body accept the healthy stem cells.
Yes. Donors are thoroughly checked, monitored, and supported throughout the process. The body naturally replaces donated stem cells within weeks.
You can withdraw at any time before a patient begins their treatment. Once the patient starts chemotherapy to wipe out their immune system, they rely on your donation.
Most registries remove donors at age 60 or earlier due to medical guidelines.
Yes. Some donors are matched with more than one patient.
No. Donation is voluntary, but travel, accommodation, and loss of earnings (if applicable) are usually covered.
Depending on the country and register rules, some donors and patients can meet after a waiting period if both parties agree.
Anyone Can Be a Hero
Thousands of patients are waiting for matches right now. Registration takes 5 minutes. Your impact could last a lifetime..
