Be a bone marrow donor

[Khan]

Or don't, I won't mention it again.

National Marrow Donor Program - Be The Match Marrow Registry

 

[quietman]

With enough effort I was able to find some information about what the process of being a donor is like. It took a lot of work to get through layers of

Now that you have been identified as a possible donor, you will be asked to:
• Learn more about the process
• Consider your commitment
• Make an informed decision about donating

Maybe this approach works for them, but as a potential donor it was frustrating to me to read pages of material that "explained" the process by repeating over and over again that I would be provided detailed info later.

After more digging there are in fact descriptions of the possible donor procedures. Including some frank disclosures of risk. Good job including these details. A lot of this material seems to want to spin a favorable story, and I understand why that would be. Still a bit more direct communication would be helpful. When the official disclosure says:

A small percentage (1.34 percent) of donors experience a serious complication due to anesthesia or damage to bone, nerve or muscle in their hip region.

I would appreciate knowing what ongoing support and care I could expect if I should suffer some of these complications. Does my own insurance kick in at some point? I think it might be useful to have some feedback from people who were considering donation to improve this site.

 

[CuppaJoe]

I don't have the heart to re-read this article but found it immensely helpful when I was "on-the-hook" as a potential donor for a sibling from 1995-2003.

BEYOND THE CALL - TIME

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I have been on the registry for the last 15 years. She once was called for the second step, provided additional blood samples for matching and learned she was a strong match for a patient. However, nothing more happened after that. They don't tell you why. She was actually very disappointed about not going through with it. I have never been called.

Khan, you do a valuable thing bringing this to people's attention.

 

[Cruisinthru]

I have been on the registry for at least 15 years. According to what Khan posted my time is about up. The higher age limit is 60, and I will reach that mark in September. It says you can still be a donor but the risks increase with age so I guess I better think about it. In fifteen years of being on the registry I have never been called.

 

[Khan]

The young wife and I have been on the registry for the last 15 years. She once was called for the second step, provided additional blood samples for matching and learned she was a strong match for a patient. However, nothing more happened after that. They don't tell you why. She was actually very disappointed about not going through with it. I have never been called.

Khan, you do a valuable thing bringing this to people's attention.

I was once called for the second step, but I wasn't a match.

When I was w*rking as a Federal Employee, I would have had paid time off while donating and recovering.

 

[SecondCor521]

Also been on the registry for about 15 years.

It's amazing how they've kept track of me over the years. Second only to the alumni relations office.

Never even been contacted to go to the next step but would do so in a heartbeat if someone needed it.

2Cor521

 

[Sue J]

About 15 years ago we had a local drive because a young child was in need of a donor. I don't know if a donor was ever found, but I've been registered since then. I get an occasional newsletter from them.

At the time it cost about $20 to register. They had funds to subsidize if people didn't want to pay the whole amount. It just involved filling out your info and having a vial of blood withdrawn.

I'd still be willing to go through it if asked.

 

[CuppaJoe]

...She once was called for the second step, provided additional blood samples for matching and learned she was a strong match for a patient. However, nothing more happened after that. They don't tell you why. She was actually very disappointed about not going through with it.

...

Of course I know part of the reason my brother never had a bone marrow transplant. The research people came up with an idea for a new use for an old drug. Chemotherapy and thalidomide put him in remission for a few years.

 

[Gumby]

Of course I know part of the reason my brother never had a bone marrow transplant. The research people came up with an idea for a new use for an old drug. Chemotherapy and thalidomide put him in remission for a few years.

We were hoping it was something like that, or that they found an even better match, but we recognized that it just could have been too late.

 

[CuppaJoe]

I knew someone who received a liver transplant and was disappointed that the donor family didn’t want to meet him or have any contact with him.

Are bone marrow transplant procedures also set up so that donors and recipients can contact each other if it is mutual?

 

[Khan]

I knew someone who received a liver transplant and was disappointed that the donor family didn’t want to meet him or have any contact with him.

Are bone marrow transplant procedures also set up so that donors and recipients can contact each other if it is mutual?

I thought organ (& other) donors could contact by mutual consent after several years. I could be mistaken.