Help Samuel find 20,000 potential donors

Join Sam and help more patients find their match

Kindness creator and mental health activist Sam is partnering with NMDP^SM to inspire potential donors and help more patients with blood cancers and disorders find their match. You can be the reason someone gets a second chance at life.

Join the donor registry

Patient Cate smiles beside kindness creator Samuel as they hold NMDP signs.

Cate, searching patient, with kindness creator Sam

How to Donate

Joining the registry is the first step

1. Register online

You’ll answer a few questions to confirm you can join, then tell us where to mail your free swab kit (usually arrives in 3-7 days).

2. Swab your cheeks

Follow the kit instructions to swab your cheeks, then mail the kit back in the prepaid envelope. We’ll process your samples to add your tissue type to the registry.

3. Get matched

Patients are most likely to match someone who shares a similar ethnic background. Some people are called quickly, others wait years—and some may never be called.

4. Donate

Patients and their families are counting on you to keep your promise to donate, if needed. You could be someone’s only hope for a cure.

Check eligibility

Who can join the registry?

You can register as a potential donor if you’re:

Between the ages of 18 and 35
A resident of the U.S., its territories or freely associated states
Overall in good health
Not already registered through another U.S. organization

Join the NMDP Registry

Live in Australia?

If you’re between 17 and 35, join the donor registry through Stem Cell Donors Australia.

Live outside the U.S. or Australia?

You may be eligible to join a donor registry in your country. Find your registry to get started.

What to expect when you donate blood stem cells

90% donate PBSC

Peripheral blood stem cells are donated in a nonsurgical procedure similar to donating plasma

$0 to donate

NMDP pays for all travel and medical expenses and helps cover lost wages

Support at every step

A dedicated NMDP team helps you plan, prepare and recover

Faqs

Questions before you join?

Find out more about joining the registry and becoming a blood stem cell donor.

Both peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) and bone marrow donation are less painful than you probably think. Discomfort and side effects vary from person to person, but it’s nothing like what you see on TV.

Some of the common side effects of PBSC donation are headaches, nausea and tiredness—from the daily shots of a drug called filgrastim or an FDA-approved similar administered in the 5 days leading up to donation.

For a bone marrow donation, you experience no pain before or during the procedure, but you may feel sore or achy for a few days afterward.
The full donation process takes time but is flexible around your schedule. Here’s a general timeline:
- Before donation: You’ll attend an info session and have follow-up appointments for blood tests and a physical exam.
- Donation day: Most people donate in one day.
- Total time: Expect to spend 20 to 30 hours over several weeks, not counting travel time. Many donors travel and may stay overnight in a hotel.
If you match a patient, we’ll contact you to confirm your commitment. You’ll then undergo further testing—using a cheek swab, blood sample or stored sample—to ensure you’re the best possible match.

If selected, you’ll attend an information session to learn about the donation process, risks and side effects. We’ll share basic patient details (age, gender and disease) and confirm the requested donation type: either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC).

Warren, a transplant recipient, stands beside Sam, who holds a "You Can Do It" card.

Warren, transplant recipient, with kindness creator Sam

Every person I met was waiting for the same thing: Someone on the NMDP Registry to say yes when it mattered most. Such a small act can give a family hope they never thought they’d have.”

sam

take action

A patient’s match may not be on the registry yet

The next person who joins could be the person a patient has been waiting for.

Join the donor registry

Join Sam and help more patients find their match