What is the Be The Match Registry?

Be The Match Registry Our registry is the connection between patients searching for a cure and life-saving bone marrow donors. As the largest and most diverse donor registry in the world, we help more patients get the transplant they need.

How do you get a match swab kit?

Receive a cheek swab kit by mail in about 3-7 business days. Swab cheek. Return kit. Your sample will be tested and your genetic type will be added to the Be The Match Registry®.

Do you get paid for be the match?

Donors never pay for donating, and are never paid to donate. All medical costs for the donation procedure are covered by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), which operates the Be The Match Registry®, or by the patient’s medical insurance, as are travel expenses and other non-medical costs.

Does bone marrow grow back after donating?

There is no long-term recovery and donors resume a normal routine in one to three days. Your bone marrow and stem cells grow back on their own, and your recipient gains a second chance at life.

What are the chances of being a stem cell match?

Donating stem cells or bone marrow to a relative A brother or sister is most likely to be a match. There is a 1 in 4 chance of your cells matching. This is called a matched related donor (MRD) transplant. Anyone else in the family is unlikely to match.

Why does be the match want a second swab?

YOU’RE CURRENTLY AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STAGES: Additional Testing: The patient’s doctor needs more information on your human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type to determine if you’re a good match. Usually, additional testing is conducted on your original blood or cheek swab sample.

What is donating bone marrow like?

Bone marrow donation is a surgical procedure that takes place in a hospital operating room. Doctors use needles to withdraw liquid marrow (where the body’s blood-forming cells are made) from both sides of the back of your pelvic bone. You will be given anesthesia and feel no pain during the donation.

How many people get chosen for Be The Match?

Currently, the chance of having a matched, available donor on the Be The Match Registry®, ranges from 29-79% depending on patient ethnic background.

What are the risks of being a stem cell donor?

The injection that increases the number of stem cells in the blood can cause side effects, such as bone pain, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. Other possible side effects include being lightheaded or having chills, numbness or tingling around the mouth, and cramping in the hands.

How painful is bone marrow extraction?

With local anesthesia, bone marrow aspiration, in particular, can cause brief, but sharp, pain. Many people choose to also have light sedation for additional pain relief. If you’re anxious about pain, you may be given an IV medication so that you’re either completely or partially sedated during the bone marrow exam.

What disqualifies you from donating stem cells?

Most diseases which may be defined as autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus, chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, will prevent you from donating marrow or blood-forming cells.

Can a daughter be a bone marrow match for her father?

Brothers and sisters have a one-in-four chance of matching their siblings due to the genetic material they inherit from each parent. For another relative, including a child, to match is extremely rare. “We don’t know how frequently a child is found to be a perfect match for their parent, but it is highly unlikely.

Are you asleep for bone marrow donation?

Your doctor can use general anesthesia, so you’ll be asleep during the surgery and won’t feel any pain. Alternatively, they can use regional anesthesia. You’ll be awake, but you won’t feel anything. The surgeon will then insert needles into the hip bone to draw the marrow out.

How likely am I to be a stem cell match?

A brother or sister is most likely to be a match. There is a 1 in 4 chance of your cells matching. This is called a matched related donor (MRD) transplant. Anyone else in the family is unlikely to match.