Would you register as a stem cell donor?

[madamceladon]

Interested in hear if anyone has donated bone marrow or cord blood and experiences.

I am a MN user working on a campaign to increase stem cell donor registration and cord blood donation, especially by BAME communities, to try to save my friend's life. If MNHQ are interested in supporting our campaign please contact me.

If you are in London we are running a donor registration event in Chinatown on Sunday 24 April.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/swabforyvette-stem-cell-donor-drive-in-chinatown-tickets-311882387617

If you are pregnant and able to donate cord blood (its only offered at Luton and Dunstable Hospital, St George’s Hospital and University College London Hospital), or if you are under 40 (pregnant or not) please consider registering as a stem cell donor.

My friend Yvette Chin is dying of a rare blood cancer and her only hope for survival is to find a match for stem cell therapy.
Yvette is mixed race Chinese and Jamaican.
White UK patients have a 70% chance of finding a genetic match through the registries, and BAME patients about 25% - it is even harder for mixed race patients. (Source Anthony Nolan charity).
We are campaigning on this as an equalities issue.

More info on our campaign website:
www.swabforyvette.com/

Follow our socials
www.facebook.com/swabforyvette
www.instagram.com/swabforyvette/
www.linkedin.com/company/swabforyvette/

She's been in the media - listen to minute 39 to hear her interviewed here on BBC London.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0btn6kb

metro.co.uk/2022/03/29/woman-with-cancer-cant-find-stem-cell-donor-because-shes-mixed-race-16359183/

Info on cord blood donation:
www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/cord-blood-bank/

You can sign up as a donor (not cord blood) by a postal registration through DKMS - it is just a cheek swab, easier than an LFT.
www.dkms.org.uk/get-involved/virtual-drives/yvette
Or here
www.anthonynolan.org/help-save-a-life/patient-appeals/current-appeals/swabforyvette

Please share this campaign in your networks. If you have experience of donating cord blood, of bone marrow donation, or of blood cancer, I'd love to hear it.

Please sign up: if you aren't a match for Yvette, you could be for someone else.

I'm registered with Anthony Nolan & have been for years (10+). I assume they just keep you on the register year after year. I cant see anything on their site about "refreshing" your registration or sample etc

Like crabbitmaw, I’ve been registered for many years. I think it was during a similar campaign for someone up here. There was a massive response and I hope they turn out for Yvette too.

I’ve yet to be contacted.

Sending hope and best wishes for Yvette.

DH and I wanted to register when a friend’s child needed a transplant but we’re too old. It’s helpful to let people know there’s an age limit before they go much further I think.

I’m registered with Anthony Nolan and have been for about 7 years, although I’ve never had a match.

My little brother signed up to Anthony Nolan when he was 18 and had a match within months. He competed his donation at Kings in London, and it was incredibly straightforward. Anthony Nolan provided a hotel for the night before as it was an early start, this was all pre covid so myself and my Dad stayed with him (he was able to donate via the bloodstream process).

It was about 6 hours or so I think, no pain just got a bit uncomfortable a couple of times where he had to keep his arms in the same position. No ill after effects. A few years after his donation he was given an update that he had donated to an adult female, and she was doing well. Would be happy to donate if I matched, I really hope your friend finds a match soon

I’m already registered. I absolutely would not be giving cord blood though, that’s literally the baby’s blood and should go to them