Become a bone marrow stem cell donor and save a life

Every year thousands of people are diagnosed with leukaemia and for many, their only hope is to undergo a bone marrow stem cell transplant.

Finding a donor, however, can be quite challenging.

This Bone Marrow and Leukaemia Awareness Month (August 15 to October 15) ER24 and the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR), are urging people to become possible bone marrow stem cell donors.

Professor Ernette du Toit, medical director and co-founder of the SABMR, says, “Leukaemia is cancer of the white cells and knows no limits, affecting people of all ages and ethnic groups.

“Sadly, it is the most common form of childhood cancer and donors are a key component to saving lives, beginning with you.”

Leukaemia patients are not the only ones in need of stem cell transplants.

“These illnesses can affect anyone and although bone marrow transplants are not always successful, they often give someone their only chance of recovery,” says du Toit..

“The SABMR’s youngest patient was an infant just 10-months-old.”

Du Toit adds there is a very large number of possible tissue types.

The best chance of finding a match is within the patient’s family.

“There is a 25% chance of finding a matching sibling donor,” she says.

This is where the SABMR comes in.

“We are the only medical facility in South Africa that conducts complex searches to identify life-saving donors,” says du Toit.

The chance of finding a matched unrelated donor is just an average of one in 100 000.

She added it is more likely to find a matching donor for a patient from the same ethnic group.

Many people fear signing up as potential donors because they believe the procedure to retrieve the stem cells involves a large needle being inserted into their bones.

Stem cells are collected from the donor’s blood, in a similar way one would donate blood or platelets.

If you are on the registry and turn out to be a possible match, the following will happen:

• You will receive a call from the SABMR informing you that you have been identified as a potential match for a patient.
• If you are willing to proceed, the SABMR will arrange for you to undergo several additional blood tests to further establish the suitability of your bone marrow.
• Once confirmed as a match, you will undergo a health check-up by a medical doctor.
• You will receive daily injections of neupogen from a week prior to the procedure.

Neupogen is a naturally occurring hormone in the body that stimulates the production of stem cells.

The injections ensure the donor produces sufficient cells for their body and for the patient.

Some donors experience flu-like symptoms which is a side effect of the neupogen.

• n On the day of the procedure, the donor will be admitted to a collection facility and attached to a cell-separator machine, usually by intravenous line in both arms.

An SABMR member will accompany the donor throughout the process.

• On completion, the SABMR member will ensure the cells are transported safely to the patient.

So where do you start if you would like to become a potential donor?

All healthy individuals aged 18 to 45 can register as a potential donor by contacting the Sunflower Fund, the SABMR recruiting agency, on 0800 121 082.

• If you fulfil the criteria you will receive an application form and health questionnaire.
• You will be directed to a blood sampling facility to determine your tissue type.
• Your form and tissue typing result will be forwarded to the SABMR, where your details will be entered into the SABMR database.
• You will receive an SABMR donor card to confirm that you are a potential donor.
• You will remain on the SABMR database until your 60th birthday, or until you ask to be removed.

If you have concerns about becoming a donor, email admin@sabmr.co.za

Visit www.sabmr.co.za for further information.