How your African American ancestry can save a life
NMDP celebrates Black History Month
Representation on the registry saves lives
Black History Month is a time to honor the strength, leadership and lasting impact of Black communities.
At NMDPSM, we see how representation on the NMDP RegistrySM directly impacts Black patients with blood cancer and blood diseases like sickle cell. More Black donors means more chances for Black patients to find a suitable donor and move forward with treatment. This month, we invite you to take action. Joining the registry takes about 20 seconds and could change what’s possible for a patient.
Why donors like you are needed
A blood stem cell donation can cure or treat more than 75 diseases, including leukemia or sickle cell disease. However, 75% of patients don’t have a fully matched donor in their family and rely on the NMDP Registry to find an unrelated one. To determine the best match for their patients, doctors look at genes called human leukocyte antigens (HLA), which are inherited from your biological parents.
Because of that genetic component, the best match for a patient is typically someone who shares their ethnic background. The problem: The registry isn’t diverse enough to ensure every patient can find their match. We need more people of all backgrounds to join the registry to help more patients find their cure. However, registry recruitment alone won’t solve the problem. Science will.
Stories of courage and resilience
Finding a Match Against the Odds
Donna and Tiana made history and moved us one step closer to a world where blood cancer is a thing of the past.The importance of saying “yes”
Jeremiah's childhood dream of being a hero took a real-life turn when he faced the decision to donate blood stem cells.Give Cayden the gift of possibility
Leukemia has taken a lot from this 7-year-old—but not his fighting spirit. You could be the match that saves his life.
Breakthrough research: NMDP Donor for All
At NMDP, we’re redefining the future of blood stem cell transplant through our Donor for All initiative to increase the odds all patients will find their best match. In the past, patients needed a fully matched donor for the best outcome. But as our population becomes more diverse, we know not every patient will have a full donor match even if every eligible donor joins the registry.
Through Donor for All, we’re working to safely unlock access to a blood stem cell transplant through many research efforts using partially matched donors. This will significantly expand all patients’ options for suitable donors—while providing outcomes in line with using a fully matched donor. Clinical trials through Donor for All and our collaborative research program CIBMTR® (Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research®) are already changing what’s possible for patients who need a life-saving cure, like Amelia.
How does a bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplant treat sickle cell disease?
Of the inherited blood disorders that blood stem cell transplants treat, sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common. It affects over 100,000 people in the U.S. alone and is particularly prevalent for those of African, Mediterranean, South American, Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern descent.
If someone has SCD, their body makes unhealthy red blood cells, ones that are misshapen, hard and sticky. They get stuck in blood vessels and clog them. This can cause pain, infection, organ damage, low blood count, strokes and other serious health problems.
A blood stem cell transplant can cure SCD. It replaces a patient’s unhealthy blood-forming cells with healthy cells from a donor. It’s not surgery; it’s more like a blood transfusion. It can’t fix organ damage from sickle cell disease, but it can stop more damage from happening. The goal is to help patients live free from sickle cell pain, prevent any new complications and improve their overall quality of life.
Sickle cell disease is just one example of the over 75 different blood cancers or disorders that a blood stem cell transplant can cure or treat.
NMDP Black Blood Heals podcast
See exclusive interviews that highlight the stories of Black patients, blood stem cell donors and supporters. Discover how Black blood saves lives and take action for patients battling blood cancer, sickle cell disease and other life-threatening diseases.
We have the power to heal black lives.