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Donating bone marrow is a completely safe and painless way to save someone's life. Because bone marrow is a material more valuable than gold, essential for patients with leukemia, lymphoma or Hodgkin's disease. Check if you can become a bone marrow donor.

Every yearbone marrow transplantsaves the lives of over 200 patients withleukemiain Poland. It also saves those suffering fromlymphoma , Hodgkin's disease and other diseases of the hematopoietic system. Although the number of people willing to donate this valuable material is growing, it turns out that there is never too much marrow. Up to 70 percent. of sick people, marrow from a family member is unsuitable. Then, to save a life, a transplant from an unrelated person is necessary. But even among hundreds of people willing to donate bone marrow, it is difficult to find the right donor - a person with the same antigen system. Therefore, the more potential donors in the database, the greater the probability of finding the appropriate bone marrow, and thus saving the recipient's life.

In the last 8 years, the number of potential bone marrow donors registered in Polish databases has increased from 40,000. to 1.2 million people, of which 1.1 million are donors of the DKMS Foundation. It is also worth noting that with 30 million potential donors around the world, Poles constitute a strong group of over 4% of all registered. The above data perfectly illustrate how much the awareness and knowledge of Poles about the donation of bone marrow and stem cells has increased in recent years. Unfortunately, there is still a shortage of patients for whom transplantation is the only chance of survival. Fortunately, you can help them in a very simple way. Below we present how to become a donor and what steps should be taken to do so.

Worth knowing

Each Donor, depending on the number of donations, is en titled to the “Transplant Donor” or “Distinguished Transplant Donor” badge, with which there are certain rights associated with it. However, this is not the most important thing in all of this. Giving a chance for life is a good in itself, and people who have had the opportunity to experience it "on their own skin" speak of a feeling of great joy, satisfaction or even fulfillment. So it's worth spending these few minutes on registration, because it can change the life of more than one person for the better. And it wasn't that hard, was it?

1. How to become a bone marrow donor? Check if you can become a donor

Takean informed and well-thought-out decision to join the database of potential bone marrow donors is half the battle, but to do so, certain criteria must be met. Any he althy person between the age of 18 and 55, weighing over 50 kg, can be a donor of blood or bone marrow stem cells.

2. How to become a bone marrow donor: entry in the register

The registration process is not complicated and often takes less than ordering a taxi. Just go to the foundation's website www.dkms.pl and fill out the registration form. Within 2 days of completing the application, a registration package with sticks for taking oral swabs and a form to be completed will be sent to the address provided. The chopsticks (two of them are necessary) along with a correctly completed declaration should be sent by post to the foundation's address. The cost of registration, shipment and HLA antigen compatibility testing of potential donors is fully covered by the DKMS Foundation.

Entry in the donor register excludes: HIV, hepatitis, diabetes, heart disease. - A potential donor cannot have a history of food jaundice, tuberculosis, hematological and oncological diseases - emphasizes Dr. Małgorzata Dudkiewicz from the Organizational and Coordination Center for Transplantology "Poltransplant". Anyone who meets these basic conditions can enter the Central Register of Unrelated Donors of Marrow and Cord Blood by completing a declaration of will on the Poltransplan website. This form can also be printed and sent by post, or by telephone or to report to this institution in person.

Important

Why is bone marrow so important?

This is the liquid tissue inside the bone. The marrow produces blood cells: red cells to supply oxygen to all organs in the body, white cells to protect against infection, and platelets to prevent bleeding. There are approximately 5 liters of marrow in the body. Unfortunately, he is prone to disease. The most common of these is leukemia, which causes the bone marrow to refuse to produce he althy blood cells. Then, the only way to save the patient's life is often a bone marrow transplant.

From the Poltransplant, the report is sent to the headquarters, from where it is sent to the facility closest to the potential donor in terms of the place of residence of the potential donor. This is because the tests and possible bone marrow donation are as little troublesome as possible for the donor.

3. How to become a bone marrow donor: research

When the statement arrives at the appropriate center, after some time the potential donor is invited for a preliminary examination. Its timing cannot be accurately predicted becausemoney from the National He alth Fund is intended only for a specific number of tests. If they are exhausted in a given year, then you have to wait until the next one. This preliminary test involves talking to a doctor, completing a he alth questionnaire, and taking a blood sample for HLA typing, a genetic test to show tissue compatibility with a future recipient. HLAs are proteins that are found on the surface of the cell. It depends on them whether the bone marrow will be accepted by the recipient's body. The test is then repeated again to be absolutely sure about the compliance. There is no cost to the potential donor for any of these tests.

4. How to become a bone marrow donor? Bone marrow extraction

The test results are sent to one worldwide database, in which people willing to donate bone marrow are registered. It is available to doctors who are looking for donors for their patients. If it turns out that your marrow has the same antigens as the patient's marrow, you will be asked again for permission to collect it. In fact, when it comes to harvesting bone marrow, it is usually about harvesting stem cells. The most common method of obtaining them is peripheral blood collection (PBSC), which is a minimally invasive method.

If, as a result of the research, the Donor is eligible for download, it can be done in two different ways. In 80% of cases, it is the collection of hematopoietic stem cells from peripheral blood.

According to the statistics of the DKMS Foundation, within 10 years of registration, a maximum of 5 out of 100 registered people become a real Donor. The process leading up to bone marrow donation consists of three stages. In the beginning, the registered person receives a phone call from the Foundation informing them of a genetic twin who needs help. When the donor is able and willing to share a part of himself, he makes an appointment to the nearest clinic to donate blood samples, which will enable the final confirmation of the genetic compatibility of the twins. The stage immediately preceding the bone marrow donation is a comprehensive examination that excludes all risks. Completion of all formalities related to examinations and dismissal from work or school is supported by the DKMS Foundation.

Important

What are stem cells?

These are the most essential cells in the human body. They are found in the bone marrow, as well as in peripheral and umbilical blood, and have the ability to transform into other cells, including blood cells (without their participation, the marrow would not be able to produce red blood cells, leukocytes and thrombocytes, and therefore the body would not be able to function without them). In addition, stem cells can transform into tissuenervous, muscle and bone - they are necessary for the regeneration of the body.

What is it about? A few days before the donor's cells are collected, a drug is administered to "mobilize" the marrow to produce hematopoietic cells. The procedure itself involves drawing blood from the hand and is similar to traditional blood donation. If necessary, local anesthesia may be administered. During the procedure, the donor is connected to a machine that separates the stem cells from the blood cells. - You can then collect as many stem cells as the recipient needs - emphasizes Dr. Małgorzata Dudkiewicz. The collection takes about 2 hours and does not require hospitalization, so the donor can return home and his / her activities immediately after the procedure and a short rest. Much less often the bone marrow is harvested in a way that requires a hospital stay of several days. The procedure is completely safe for the he alth of the donor. After donating the bone marrow, you can function normally and the body fully regenerates within a few weeks after the procedure.

Bone marrow transplant: Church position

Catholicism supports both bone marrow and organ donation. This is evidenced by the words of Pope John Paul II contained in the encyclical Evangelium vitae. The consent to transplant is defined here as "a total gift of oneself (…), which is a participation in the mystery of the Cross, in which Jesus reveals the great value of every human life for Him and how it is fully realized through the selfless gift of self" .

Note!

You can withdraw your application from the bone marrow donor register at any time and at any stage of the procedure. However, it should be remembered that withdrawing at the last stage deprives the patient of a chance to survive.

Interview with a bone marrow donor

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Category:

Oncology