According to The National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) there is a "dire need for both Asians and American Indians to register as potential donors to fill a shortage of readily available prospects."


Currently a patient’s chance of being matched with a suitable marrow donor vary considerably depending on the individual’s nationality. The most likely match for a successful bone marrow stem cell transplant is a full brother of sister of the recipient, though complete strangers with ancestry similar to the recipient’s are often able to save lives through marrow donation.

For those who suffer from debilitating and potentially fatal bone marrow failure disorders such as aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndromes, bone marrow stem cell transplants offer the only hope of complete recovery. 

According to Eric Trosko of the NMDP, joining the marrow registry is easier than ever: 

“You simply complete a registration form and swab the inside of your cheek. That’s it, no blood draw and the entire registration process only takes about 10 minutes. If you match a patient, donations can now be made through a simple blood draw procedure instead of the old surgical procedure through the hip. There is no cost for members of any American Indian tribe to join the marrow registry or donate.”

For more information on becoming a bone marrow stem cell donor visit the National Marrow Donor  Program website at: www.marrow.org/.

Tags: "aplastic anemia" "myelodysplastic syndromes" "bone marrow stem cell transplants" "National Marrow Donor Program" NMDP, National Marrow Donor Program, NMDP