Donations save lives but the dropout rate of donors is high
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.18 September 2019, Saxony, Dresden: An employee in the DKMS Life Science Lab, in the former building of the Dresdner Bundesbank, is working on the sorting of medical cotton swabs with cells of the buccal mucosa for the typing process of DNA. Each day can be registered in Germany over 1900 humans again as stem cell donors with the DKMS, world-wide there are over 3400.
Although thousands of South Africans have registered as potential bone marrow stem cell donors, there is a critical problem — donor attrition. These dropout rates, ranging from, can significantly delay finding a suitable match for blood cancer patients in desperate need of a potentially life-saving transplant. This can affect their chances of survival. Every registered donor brings hope to a patient battling blood cancer.
Although donating stem cells is a safe and relatively simple process, various misconceptions deter registered donors from following through with donations, which is important during Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month that runs from 15 August to 15 October.Fact: For more than 90% of donors the process entails peripheral blood stem cell collection, a non-surgical procedure similar to donating blood.
For a small percentage of donors , stem cells can be collected directly from the bone marrow in the pelvic bone. This minimally invasive procedure is performed under general anaesthesia. Although some donors experience temporary discomfort or soreness at the extraction site, the feeling is usually comparable to a bruise.Fact: While the donation process involves some steps, it’s designed to be manageable.
For the bone marrow donation method, a hospital stay is involved, but it’s usually just three days. This includes check-in on day one, the procedure on day two and discharge on day three.Fact: The good news is that most donors can get back to work quickly. For PBSC donation, donors will be able to return within two days. If they donate bone marrow, a bit more recovery time is needed, so they should plan for about one week of leave.
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