The search is on for 100 000 blood stem cell donors, in the lead-up to World Marrow Donor Day on 17 September.

The South African Bone Marrow Registry has launched a campaign to reach 100 000 blood stem cell donor registrations. Once the target is reached, a star will be named after a lucky donor.

Searching for matching DNA

The Deputy Director of the SABMR, Jane Ward says they consider each one of their almost 80 000 existing donors as stars!

Ward added, “Much like stars that are born in the same cluster share similar chemical signatures, so our donor searches help us to find genetic twins among humans that share matching DNA. No matter where in the world they are.”

Be a star in someone’s life

“And just like a star falls to grant someone’s wish, people make sacrifices to make that wish come true. We are asking people to be a star in someone’s night sky by signing up to become a blood stem cell donor.

The awareness campaign aims to bolster donor numbers significantly to increase the probability of a patient in need finding a match for a transplant.

World Marrow Donor Day is celebrated globally each year to thank blood stem cell donors across the globe.

[READ] Become a donor

Search on for 100 000 blood stem cell donors

In the last three decades, the SA Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) has travelled almost six times to the moon and back to collect blood stem cells from all four corners of the globe. This was for South African patients in need of a transplant.

These precious stem cells help rebuild a patient’s immune system, working as a cure for numerous blood cancers.

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To date, the SABMR has saved the lives of more than 600 South African patients. However, only 25% of these donors have come from SA.

Ward says when no local matches are found, they have to look abroad, which takes time and can become costly.

Article: South African Bone Marrow Registry