Hospital-Based World Cancer Day Campaign: Signing Up with DKMS to Aid Blood Cancer Patients
On Tuesday, February 4, Solingen Municipal Hospital is inviting individuals to become potential stem cell donors. The registration drive, taking place from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM in the cafeteria (level U2), does not require prior registration.
For those interested in donating stem cells, the process typically begins with registration with a bone marrow registry. This involves providing a cheek swab or blood sample to determine your tissue type, which is then compared to that of patients in need of a transplant to find a match.
If you match a patient, you will be contacted and asked to undergo further testing to confirm your match and assess your suitability as a donor. The donation process can involve either bone marrow harvest or peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, depending on the patient's diagnosis.
Bone marrow harvest involves collecting bone marrow from the pelvic bones using a needle under general anaesthesia, while PBSC donation involves collecting stem cells from the blood after you receive injections to increase the number of stem cells in your blood. After donation, you'll receive medical care to ensure your recovery and monitor any side effects.
If you're interested in donating specifically through Solingen Municipal Hospital, you might need to contact them directly to inquire about their participation in a registry or any specific local programs they may offer. The event at Solingen Municipal Hospital is in cooperation with DKMS, a well-known registry, and is in honour of World Cancer Day.
It's important to note that the degree of matching of the tissue characteristics between the donor and patient is crucial for the success of a stem cell transplantation. Stem cell transplantation is often the only chance of survival for patients with blood cancer, and many patients with blood cancer are still searching for a matching donor.
Young people can help sustainably as potential donors for a long period. The number of stem cells required for a transplant is calculated individually and is limited based on the donor's body weight. The transplanted stem cells find their way into the bone marrow and begin to form new blood cells, usually taking two to three weeks.
The migration of cells into the bone marrow takes only a few minutes, and both transplants, whether bone marrow or blood, contain the same necessary stem cells. If you're unable to attend the event at Solingen Municipal Hospital but still wish to register as a potential stem cell donor, you can do so through national or international bone marrow registries like the National Marrow Donor Program (Be The Match) in the U.S. or various European registries like DKMS or the Anthony Nolan Trust in the UK.
Join Solingen Municipal Hospital on February 4 to help save lives by becoming a potential stem cell donor. Your contribution could be the difference between life and death for a patient with blood cancer.
- On World Cancer Day, stem cell transplantation may provide a crucial chance of survival for patients with blood cancer, as many are still searching for a matching donor.
- By becoming a potential stem cell donor, you could make a life-saving difference, as the registration drive at Solingen Municipal Hospital on February 4 is in cooperation with DKMS, a well-known registry.
