How to Donate Bone Marrow

Saving lives is easier than ever; you don't have to rescue someone who's fallen through ice, do CPR, or push someone out of the way of a moving bus. By offering to donate bone marrow, you can save lives threatened by cancers and blood diseases. In the US alone, 6,000 people need a bone marrow transplant on any given day.
Bone marrow is a spongy material that is found inside some major bones like the hipbone. The stem cells in the bone marrow are the building blocks of the blood: The red blood cells - which carry oxygen; the white cells - which fight infection; and the platelets - which stop bleeding, are all produced by the stem cells and are released into the blood stream via the veins and the thin tissue surrounding the bone. Read this article to find out how to donate some of your bone marrow.
STEPS
• Make sure you qualify as a donor. Before you register, consider the criteria. Note that in every country the criteria to be a bone marrow donor are slightly different.
• There is usually an age limit (e.g. in the US, you must be between 18 and 60 years old and in the UK, between 18 and 49).
• There are a variety of diseases and conditions which could prevent you from becoming a donor. You will be asked to fill out a health history form and be informed if you meet the organization's health criteria. This is done to protect the health of the donor as well as the patient.
• Make a commitment. If you are contacted as a match and change your mind about donating (which you can do at any time) your decision could be devastating and life-threatening to the patient. Talk to your family and friends about your decision; donating will be easier with their support. Know what you're getting into, and how the donation is carried out:
• There will be a time commitment involved for taking blood and tissue tests to make sure the transplant will be successful.
• The most common form of donation does not involve surgery; it's very similar to donating blood. It is possible, however, that you'll be asked to donate marrow through surgery.
• It usually takes up to 7 days for you to return to your daily routine after donating.
• While the medical procedures will often be covered by the patient's insurance company, and the organization may reimburse you for travel costs, there may be other costs involved that you will not be reimbursed for (e.g. food during your travels).
• Register in the bone marrow registry in your country. Do an Internet search for "bone marrow registry" and the name of the country in which you live (see the list below). In many cases, you can register online, or you can obtain a list of addresses where you can sign up in person.
• If you register online to donate bone marrow in the US, you will need to order your tissue-typing kit for $52 with a credit card. If you register in person, like at a drive, there may be a sponsor who covers the tissue-typing costs. Whatever you end up paying is tax-deductible.
• Give a swab or a blood sample. In order to be registered, you must have your tissue type determined. In the UK, you can do this while donating blood. Indicate that you wish to join the registry before you donate blood, so that the staff can prepare to take an extra sample. If you ordered a tissue-typing kit in the US, you'll receive instructions in getting a sample from the inside of your cheek.
• Be available. Now, you just have to wait for a match. If your tissue type matches that if a patient in need of a bone marrow transplant, you will be contacted, so it's important that you keep your contact information up-to-date and respond promptly.
• Attend the information session. Before you make your decision, an information session will be held to inform you of the donation procedure as well as the risks and possible side effects that may occur as a result. You will also be told if the doctors expect you to donate cells from bone marrow or cells from circulating blood (known as a PBSC donation) After getting all this information, you will be asked to decide if you will proceed with the donation.
• Get a physical exam. If you agree to become a donor, you will have to undergo a physical examination to make sure you have no serious medical conditions. You will also find out if the donation would pose any risks to either you or the patient.
• Familiarise yourself with the process of the donation.
• For a PBSC donation: You will receive daily injections of a drug named Filgrastim for five days before the collection. This is to increase the number of blood-forming cells in the bloodstream. You may experience side effects like headache or bone or muscle aches. Your blood will be removed via a sterile needle that is connected to a machine that collects the blood-forming cells. This process is similar to donating plasma. The remaining blood is returned to you.
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Donated bone marrow
For a bone marrow donation: This is a surgical procedure. You will receive anaesthesia. The doctors use hollow needles to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of your pelvic bones. Many donors receive a transfusion of their own previously donated blood. You might feel soreness in your lower back for a few days, and your marrow will be completely replenished by your body within four to six weeks.

Bone Marrow Registries
In alphabetical order by country.
• Australia - http://www.abmdr.org.au/dynamic_menus.php?id=1&menuid=2&mainid=1
• India - http://www.matchpia.org/
• UK - https://secure.blood.co.uk/bonemarrow.asp
• USA - http://www.marrow.org/HELP/Join_the_Donor_Registry/index.html
• Canada - http://www.onematch.ca/