index

Blood and Bone Marrow Donation

Bone marrow transplantation is in the parallel position with organ transplantation: worldwide critical need, donor bank shortage, people’s involvement and most important part is—saving many lives.

There are also many different facts in this area, which raises more issues.

Misunderstanding

One of the major factors keeping people from being a donor is the confusion surrounding the procedure of bone marrow donation, said Belinda King from Anthony Nolan Trust.

Anthony Nolan Trust and British Blood Service are two bone marrow donation register organizations in the UK.

Horrific pain and even the risk of paralysis are common thoughts when people think of bone marrow transplantation.

These conceptions even existed in some patients' mind before they dignosed the blood disease.

Donors, who have been experienced bone marrow transplantation are in the perfect position to tell the feeling involved.

Click here to read donor Christine Brown's story >>

Ethnic Group blood pool shortage

There around 285,000 registered potential bone marrow donors on the British Bone Marrow Registry, only three per cent are from ethnic minority communities.

“If we receive a request from a patient who related to ethnic community, it’s a lot of more difficult try to find out a donor match.” Belinda King said.

The 14-year-old girl Yvette gate, from Bristol, has been waiting for a bone marrow transplant for four years, after being diagnosed with a rare blood cancer aplastic anaemia .

Her dad David said: “Yvette is originally from Gambia. It’s really difficult to find matched bone marrow here for ethnic group.

“Family is always the first place to start, and my wife went over to Gambia to take blood samples from Yvette's extended family, but none of them were successful.”

Recently, Yvette has to go to hospital for transfusions of platelets every week because the situation is getting worse. Yvette’s parents sincerely hope they can find a match soon.

Anthony Nolan Trust Bone marrow donation hotline number 0901 88 22 234

Donor story

Christine Brown

“When I gave birth to a baby boy, for the first time in my life I really understood why Shirley Nolan had tried to move heaven and earth to save her son. I’m really happy that I saved another mother’s child.”