Who We Are
What is our mission?
We save lives through cell therapy.
What are the two ways to donate to a patient?
Peripheral blood stem cell donation (PBSC) and bone marrow donation.
What age do you have to be to join the registry?
18-40 years old.
Donating bone marrow involves opening or removing bones.
Myth! (While the donor is under anesthesia, a doctor removes the marrow from the back of the pelvic bone using a hollow needle. The process typically takes less than an hour.)
What names has NMDP had in the past?
National Marrow Donor Program and Be The Match.
What is the most common way to donate to a patient?
Peripheral blood stem cell donation (PBSC).
What country do you have to be a resident of to join the registry?
The United States.
You are more likely to match with a patient you have a shared ethnic background with.
Fact!
Who do we help?
Patients with blood diseases (Sickle Cell Anemia, Leukemia, etc).
What are the benefits of donation?
Flight and stay for you and one other person are paid for, compensation for work missed, and childcare and pet care are paid for.
What medical conditions will make you permanently ineligible for donation?
HIV/AIDS, Sickle Cell Anemia, and Blood cancers
Most patients don't have a donor match in their family.
Fact! (70% of patients don't have a fully matched donor in their family)
What year was NMDP founded?
1987
How are donors matched to patients?
HLA (human leukocyte antigen) genetic type testing.
What choices may make you temporarily ineligible for donation?
Pregnancy, tattoos, and travel.
Gay men cannot join the registry.
Myth! (Members of the LGBTQIA+ community CAN join the registry and donate. You won’t be asked about your sexual orientation when registering because it doesn’t factor into choosing the best possible match for a patient.)