Finding out you're a potential stem cell donor
A patient urgently in need of a stem cell transplant has been searching the registry for a life-saving donor. We are pleased to inform you that you have been identified as a potential match for this patient!
A Donor Support Coordinator will give you a call soon to discuss the next steps. If you have missed their call, please call back, SMS or email to arrange a convenient time to talk.
In the meantime, here’s what to expect.
You're a potential match
As a potential match, we will need you to:
- Have a blood test (at your local Lifeblood donor centre) and
- Fill out a health questionnaire
Your time: Up to 1 hour
Finding out if you'll be the chosen donor
One or two potential donors are usually identified for each patient, so you have a very good chance of being chosen. The patient’s medical team will review your results and health questionnaire (anonymously) to decide the best match, and we’ll let you know the outcome.
While you wait, you can usually continue with any travel plans or day to day commitments. Just let your Donor Support Coordinator know about any upcoming trips or important dates so we can plan around them.
If you are not selected this time, you won’t proceed to step 3.
Waiting time: Up to three months
The last health check before you donate
To ensure your and the patient’s health is prioritised, you will attend a half-day Workup appointment and information session 2 to 3 weeks before donating. You’ll have a few more blood samples taken, a venous and anaesthetic assessment, an ECG, and an X-ray. This appointment usually takes place at the same hospital where you’ll donate at.
Your time: Approx. 4 hours
Preparing for your donation
Depending on the donation method, preparing for donation may involve a series of injections. After receiving training at your Workup appointment, these can usually be administered from the comfort of your own home.
Your time: up to 1 hour/day over 4 days
Your donation day
You’ll spend the day in a hospital, where we will carefully retrieve your stem cells and courier them straight to the patient immediately upon collection!
Your time: 4 to 6 hours on average
Here’s an overview and Bodhi’s donation journey video of the full process.
What do I need to know about donating?
There are two ways to donate stem cells:
- Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation
90% of donors donate their stem cells over 4 to 6 hours while sitting in a comfortable chair. Blood is removed from one arm; the stem cells are filtered out via an apheresis machine and the remaining blood is returned to the other arm.
- Bone marrow donation
This method is usually reserved for paediatric patients and is typically a day procedure. You will be under general anaesthesia (meaning you’ll be put to sleep) while a thin needle removes liquid marrow from the back of your hips. The procedure takes up to an hour and no stitches are required.
For more information about the donation methods:
- view our donation explained guide or,
- watch our Verification video.
While your time will be the main cost of donating, we do cover expenses relating to your donation (including Workup, donation day and any follow-up appointments if needed). If you are selected to donate, your Donor Support Coordinator will explain what is covered in more detail.
We encourage donors to bring along a support person with them for their Workup appointment, through to donation day. They can help you remember what will happen on donation day, ask questions on your behalf and most importantly, feed you when you donate!
While the idea of donating is exciting, some donors find that their family and friends are concerned about it. It’s completely understandable that they feel this way – they want to make sure you are not at risk. We encourage you to have a conversation with your family or a trusted friend, letting them know about the stem cell donation process. We have developed an information pack that you can share with loved ones to put their minds at ease.
One of the main hurdles for donors is getting employer support and the time off work to attend their donation appointments. While awareness around stem cell donation is growing, many employers are not aware of what donating stem cells involves. We have a handy guide you can provide to your employer, so they can offer you the right support from the start.
Why should I proceed with donation?
Donating stem cells is a rare chance to give someone hope when they need it most.
We know it’s a big ask, which is why we’ll work closely with you to make the process as smooth and flexible as possible.
By going ahead, you could give someone with blood cancer or a blood disorder the hope to recover and the chance to return to the life they had before their illness. That hope can transform not only their life, but the lives of their loved ones.
FAQs about donation
Many donors worry about pain. While pain is subjective, both donation methods are designed to be as painless as possible. If discomfort is experienced, it is often temporary and easily managed. To find out more, you can read through our factsheet.
If you have a fear of needles, we have created a guide to help you manage it through donation.
No two donors are the same – some don’t experience any side effects, while others have mild to moderate side effects. The good news is that side effects are usually temporary and can be managed with paracetamol. We have an information sheet about side effects so you can learn more.
If you are selected to donate, we recommend pausing blood and plasma donations for the time being. We recommend a 3-month wait if you donate by PBSC and a 6-month wait if you donate bone marrow.
There aren’t many restrictions to what you can or can’t do while waiting to find out if you’re the chosen donor. However, it’s important to note:
- It is ok to continue donating blood, but we ask that you avoid whole blood donations.
- You can continue to exercise, but if your health status changes please let your Donor Support Coordinator know.
- You can also continue with any day-to-day commitments or travel plans; just let your Donor Support Coordinator know of any upcoming trips or important dates so we can plan around them.
We have collection centres (hospitals) in most major cities across Australia. We will do our best to schedule your donation in a collection centre within the same state as yours. If you live in a regional location or have been asked to donate in another state, we will cover and arrange travel and accommodation for you and your support person.
For more information on understanding how to fit stem cell donation around your life commitments, read our factsheet.
If you start to feel unwell, including testing positive for COVID-19, before an appointment or in the lead up to donation day, you’ll need to contact your assigned Donor Support Coordinator or Collection Centre Coordinator as soon as you can. Depending on your symptoms, we may need to reschedule or conduct additional tests. A mild illness usually doesn’t stop a donation from proceeding.
What happens now?
Either a member of the Donor Support Team will contact you imminently to discuss the donation in more detail or, you may have been asked to get in touch with us.
The team are available between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
We will always attempt to contact you either by phone, SMS or email. If we have missed you, please get back in touch to arrange a more suitable time to chat.
So you know it’s us, make sure to save our contact details in your phone:
Phone: (02) 9052 3344
Donor Support Team’s SMS number: 0428 951 203
Email: donors@stemcelldonors.org.au
The gift that gave life
Kalven didn’t know it at the time, but his stem cell donation would give a very young Hugh the chance to grow up. Years later, the two met for the first time — donor and patient, forever connected by a single act that saved a life.