Information for Donors

To register onto the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry a small sample of blood is used to analyse your tissue type and to determine if you are a match to a patient in need.

	The first step is to meet our representative who will provide a brief information session.
	Following the information session, you will be asked to fill in a consent form and medical history questionnaire.
	A simple blood test is taken to determine your tissue typing. This is then analysed at the nearest Red Cross/ABMDR laboratory. Your information is securely stored until your 57th Birthday.
	If you are found to be matching, you will be notified and undergo a thorough medical examination. Another blood test -  a lymphocyte culture test - will be done to determine compatibility. If you are not found matching at this stage your DNA details are stored on the ABMDR.

For bone marrow donations:	For peripheral blood stem cell donation:
A small amount of bone marrow is removed from the pelvic bone by needle puncture under a light general anaesthetic.	A series of small injections are given to stimulate your stem cells from your bone marrow to go into your circulating blood system. Blood from your arm is collected, the stem cells are sieved by a machine, the rest of your blood is given back to you at the same time.
Your bone marrow/stem cells donation is then transported to wherever in the world the patient is waiting for the transplant.

Bone marrow and stem cells regenerate in you in a very short-time. Bone marrow and stem cell transplants do save lives.