Blood stem cell donation timeline

A blood stem cell transplant may offer the only possibility of a cure for many patients with life-threatening blood cancers like leukemia or disorders like sickle cell disease. When you join the NMDP Registry^SM you’ll provide a cheek swab sample. This sample is sent to a lab to identify your tissue type, which is what’s used to match you to a patient.

You could be a match for a patient soon after you join the registry, many years from then or perhaps never. If you’re chosen as a match, we’ll ask you questions about your current health to make sure it’s safe for you to donate and to be sure you’re still interested in donating. If NMDP^SM contacts you, you might be one of many matches or the only match for the patient.

Matching patients with donors is complex. You may be asked to provide another cheek swab sample or a blood sample so the patient’s doctor can get more detailed human leukocyte antigen (HLA) information. It can take up to 60 days for the doctor to review test results and to decide if you’re the best match for the patient.

Congratulations! After you receive the good news, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the donation process and discuss the schedule. You’ll take a physical exam and give blood samples to make sure that donation is safe for you and the patient.

You’ll also find out which type of donation has been requested by the patient's doctor, either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC). PBSC donation is a nonsurgical procedure that takes place at a blood center or clinic. A marrow donation is an outpatient surgical procedure that takes place at a hospital. The patient’s doctor selects the method that offers the best chance of success for the patient. Regardless of which way you’ll be donating, you’ll sign a form consenting to donate via either method.

After completing the donation preparation steps and being medically approved to donate, you’ll be confirmed to move forward. You’ll donate when the timing is medically best for the patient, which could be within a few weeks or up to a few months. The donation date may change, so it’s important to remain flexible.

If you’re selected to donate PBSCs, five days before your donation, you’ll start receiving injections of filgrastim or an FDA-approved similar. (Bone marrow donors don’t go through this step in the process.) This medication increases the number of blood-forming cells in your bloodstream. It’s recommended that the first dose be given in a clinical setting. The following three doses may be administered by a health care professional at your home, workplace or other location, such as a donor center or medical clinic. Your fifth and final dose of filgrastim will be given at the collection center where your donation will take place.

Today’s the day! If you’re donating PBSC, you’ll arrive at the collection center early, receive your last shot of filgrastim and have your complete cell count taken. Then you’ll be hooked up to the apheresis machine, which will collect your blood stem cells. 98% of all PBSC donations are completed in one apheresis session, which may take 4 to 8 hours. The remaining 2% of donations are completed in two apheresis sessions, which may take 4 to 6 hours on 2 consecutive days.

If you’re donating bone marrow, you’ll be at the hospital from early morning to late afternoon or occasionally overnight for observation. You’ll be given either general or regional anesthesia to block the pain before and during the actual donation. The doctor will remove the bone marrow from both sides of your pelvic bone using a hollow needle.

After donation, a trained volunteer or professional courier from NMDP delivers your cells to the patient’s hospital for their transplant.

Donors should be able to return to work, school and any other activities within 1-7 days after donation. The time it takes to recover varies based on the donor and type of donation. NMDP cares about you and the details of your recovery. Therefore, your donor center representative will contact you on a regular basis after donation until you report a full recovery.

After donation, you may be interested in finding out how the patient is doing. Rules vary from country to country and it’s possible that your recipient (the patient who received the donated cells) may live in another country. During the first year after transplant, transplant centers from most countries allow anonymous communication. After 1 year, you may be allowed direct contact if the patient agrees. Some areas have a 2-year or longer waiting period; some don’t ever allow contact between donors and recipients.