Preparing to donate via PBSC
Tips to prepare for your donation
Donation day is just around the corner! Knowing how to prepare and what to bring can help make your experience more comfortable and enjoyable. Here’s a quick checklist of things you might need for donation day.
Try and take the 7 days before donation day easy and skip the alcohol too.
If your collection centre allows it, bring a support person with you.
You may also need to provide a photo of your most recent COVID-19 RAT/PCR test next to your photo ID to show on arrival if your Donor Support Coordinator has advised this.
Items to keep you entertained – keep in mind you will not be able to move your arms during the procedure.
Phone or device to listen to music or podcasts or to watch movies/TV shows. Try and download to watch offline in case there is limited Wi-Fi.
Reading materials – books and magazines for before and after the procedure.
Bring any left-over G-CSF injections with you in case you need an additional dose for a second day of donating.
Wear comfortable clothes with sleeves you can roll up easily and bottoms to provide ease when going to the toilet, plus an extra pair of socks to keep your feet warm.
Bring some water and a couple of your favourite snacks to keep you going.
Click the images below to read our factsheets
G-CSF injections before donation
G-CSF is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring protein found in the body. It encourages bone marrow cells to enter the bloodstream. The injection is given under the skin (a bit like insulin injections for diabetes) over four days, with donation occurring on day five. A medical professional (nurse, GP) will usually oversee the first injection and provide some training so you can administer G-CSF yourself for the remaining days.
Click the image below to read our factsheet about G-CSF injections.
The course of G-CSF related to PBSC donation is classed as a short course and does not extend for longer than five days Thousands of healthy donors have received G-CSF worldwide to date. It has also been administered to many tens of thousands of patients. A great deal of attention has been paid to establishing the safety of G-CSF in donors.
Blood stem cell and bone marrow registries worldwide have collected information on people who have previously been given G-CSF. Available data from healthy volunteer donors who have received G-CSF suggests there are no long-term risks associated with its use in donors. You may come across isolated reports suggesting that some donors who have received G-CSF may have developed leukaemia; however, at present, there is no evidence that G-CSF increases or decreases an individual’s long-term risk of developing cancer or leukaemia.
It is vital that we continue to gather health information from all of our donors, for up to 10 years after they have donated, to make sure that we can continue to reassure donors about the long-term safety of G-CSF. This is why we will keep in touch with you annually after your donation.
Watch: How to inject G-CSF
Real donors
See how others have made an impact.
I was a little nervous on the day of donation, but the nurses put you at ease straight away and take absolute care of you. The worst part of the day was lying with your arms straight for the entire time but it really is a small price to pay when you think about the end goal.
Mark, PBSC donor