To ask you to please sign up to be bone marrow donors?

[PleaseHelpMNers]

Link here: www.anthonynolan.org/apply-join-bone-marrow-register

A friend of a friend was diagnosed with leukaemia a week before Christmas. She's only 24 years old She needs a bone marrow transplant but this is proving difficult as mixed race donors are hard to find. Her only brother is not a match

www.match4lara.com

Please, please sign up. They will only contact you if you are a match

[PleaseHelpMNers]

PS the Anthony Nolan website is really slow today due to the influx of new donors - so of it doesn't work, please keep trying

[originalmavis]

Buuuump. Dad was too old for a transfusion and I know they have far too few mixed race/ethnic marrow, blood and organ donors.

[Pengweng]

Do you know if you can donate if you have had a blood transfusion. I know you can't give blood so I assume it's the same.

[SpittyWoonerisms]

It seems like you can PengWeng

If you would like to become a potential bone marrow donor, you must be:
18 to 49 years of age to join the British Bone Marrow Registry
16 to 30 years of age to join the Anthony Nolan Trust register
in good general health
over 7 stone 12 pounds (50kg) in weight
have a body mass index (BMI) lower than 40

It is best to join the bone marrow register at a young age. The younger you are when you join, the more chance there is of your stem cells being most suitable for someone in need.

People unable to donate
Having certain medical conditions may mean you cannot donate bone marrow.

These include:
HIV and AIDS
rheumatoid arthritis
hepatitis B and hepatitis C
heart disease
kidney disease
type 1 diabetes
cancer, including leukaemia now or in the past
If you become pregnant, you will be temporarily unable to donate until your baby is 12 months old. Although no problems have been reported, the safety of donating bone marrow during and shortly after pregnancy has not been fully established.

[ammature]

I did it last year, also please give blood.

[Pengweng]

Thank you! I will register.
I am very cross about not being told beforehand that I would not be able to donate after receiving blood. I mean i really did need it but I was annoyed that I didn't find out until I tried to give blood again. My own fault really for not realising. URGH. Thank you to everyone who does!

[BreakingDad77]

Was a bit downheartened after seeing adverts several years ago and then going to register to be turned away as in 30's. As this was never made clear in the interviews etc on TV was only until actually got on the site etc.

I did look into platelet donation but the clinic was too far away in another county.

I will look into the British Bone Marrow Registry again when next give blood.

[goodnessgraciousgoudaoriginal]

I think people should make sure that they look into it properly before signing up though. Donating bone marrow is not a painless experience, and is much more complicated than donating blood.

[whois]

Giving blood is one thing, but bone marrow donation is a whole kettle of fish and something I would be willing to do only for a friend or relative.

It's time consuming (multiple appointments) and painful.

[whois]

People who donate bone marrow are amazingly altruistic. Respect.

[descalina]

I think AN are missing a trick.

I would be more than happy to donate stem cells by giving blood (as they say is the case for 90% of donations). I am not willing to donate bone marrow. But they say not to sign up unless you are happy to donate by either method??

[Chippednailvarnish]

I registered a number of years ago, as being mixed race myself, I am very aware of how much more difficult it is to find a match.
It's a no brainer for me, after all you never know if it could be a member of your family that might need a donor in the future.

[Bestbees]

Great post op.

My dh had hodkins lymphoma diagnoses when he was 22. He ended up having an autologous bone marrow transplant (ie from himself ) and then stem cell transplant from his brother. This saved his life.

I understand why people up thread are concerned about the implications however he had his bone marrow removed under anaesthetic and every though he was unwell at the time it was an easy procedure. He was up and about at a family bbq that evening.

His brother donated through his blood. It did involved injections which made him a bit uncomfortable in his hips and then it took a few hours with a process similar to dialysis. He felt tired for a couple of days.

Whilst I respect people's decisions not to donate o wanted to emphasis that for most it is an easy enough procedure. If you are willing train for a charity race, surely this would be less hard and he chance of saving someone's life.

Just in case people ask, yes I am on the list! I woul give every year for the rest of my life to give people this opportunity for life. Whilst dh was in hospital we saw toddlers and young children suffering, and it is those this procedure is most likely to help.

[WorkingItOutAsIGo]

Bump for the late afternoon crowd: I know the girl this campaign is being spearheaded for, but it will help so many people.

[jorahmormont]

I signed up a few years ago. My dissertation focused on encouraging more people to sign up as bone marrow, blood and organ donors - there's about 15 new registered organ donors and 10 new regular blood donors/potential bone marrow donors as a result! :)

I can't give blood (previous transfusion) so bone marrow registry and encouraging as many others to sign up as possible is how I make up for it

[SpittyWoonerisms]

That's epic mrsjorah

I want to give blood too I think - I always intended too but haven't got round to it yet, I really don't have any excuse not to though.

My NY resolution

[PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange]

I would love to but I can't even give blood no more due to my heath.

[KwickNC]

I unfortunately can't donate (underweight) I always try and encourage people to become a donor though!

My dad donated bone marrow to a young girl when I was In primary school he became my hero then! Everyone who can should register though for blood/bone and organs!

[SpittyWoonerisms]

Anyone else signed up?

[KwickNC]

I've tweeted it I have quite a few Asian-European friends hopefully they will give it a go!

[wtfisgoingonhere]

I've been registered a while now.

Few years back I was contacted as a potential match. Had further tests in london etc but didn't donate in the end as was told they'd found a better match

[lomino]

I'm too old for the AN registry and I can't join the BBMR as I can't give blood.

[99percentchocolate]

For those who may be wondering what happens after you register - you hear absolutely nothing unless you match with someone. If you do, they'll get in contact as a matter of urgency. They also ask for two alternative contacts in case they can't get in touch - these people WILL be contacted if they can't get hold of you very quickly so be sure they are happy to take this sort of call (I thought my mum was but when it actually happened she found it quite upsetting due to the urgency)
I was then sent an information pack and had to go to my GP surgery for the blood test. This was sent off and I had to wait a couple of weeks for the results. I found out I was a very good match on further analysis and that they would contact me within 3 months if I was needed as they had also located a slightly better match.
After the 3 months nothing happened.
You need to be prepared for this as it is an emotional roller coaster, especially if you are not ultimately the best match.
It is a fantastic thing to do for someone and I'm sure I was given the option to just donate stem instead of bone marrow.

The stem cell donation sounded fine from what they told me after I was contacted. You have to have regular injections for the few days before the donation, but these can be at your home or work. They'll then send you and a friend to London or other nearby hub, paying all of your accommodation and transport costs. You then have one final injection before spending the next day hooked up to the stem cell machine.
It removes your blood from one arm, removes the cells, and then puts the blood back. They told me that you'll feel quite fluey for a couple of days afterwards but then are fine.
I'd take fluey over being in the recipients position any day.

It really isn't as scary as it sounds (I'd heard all kinds of horror stories!) and is definitely worth signing up.

[Outaboutnowt]

I wasn't even aware you could just sign up like this - I thought you had to be related or something (don't know why).

I am signing up now.

[loveisagirlnameddaisy]

Delete Blood Cancer is another major organisation and definitely accepts registrants who are over 30. I'm registered with them.

I followed a campaign for a little girl called Margot Martini, launched online by her parents after she was diagnosed with leukaemia at 14 months. She was mixed race. It was a heartbreaking story as she died just after her second birthday; however it made me and many others register as willing donors.

To those who say think twice about the procedure, I would say that if you were willing to take someone else's bone marrow/stem cells for yourself or your child, then you should also be willing to donate.