Patients and families

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can develop into different types of blood cells essential for producing healthy blood. These cells are found in the bone marrow, bloodstream, and umbilical cord blood.

Find out what stem cell transplants can do to help.

If a blood stem cell transplant is the best option for a patient with blood cancer or a blood disorder, a search will be carried out to find the most suitable donor.

For a transplant to succeed, the tissue type must be a compatible match between a patient and donor. The most suitable donor for a blood stem cell transplant is a fully matched family member, but only one in every three patients has a related donor match.

Learn more about the unrelated donor search process.

A successful transplant requires a tissue type match and a patient who is healthy enough to proceed. The transplant doctor will determine whether a patient should have a transplant by considering the patient’s general physical condition, diagnosis, and disease stage.

Learn more about the transplant process.

The recovery is an important milestone and one that can last 100 days as a patient’s red blood cell count climbs and their immune system strengthens.

Learn more about the recovery process including potential side effects.

Your stem cell transplant journey is powerful. Sharing your story can inspire others, raise awareness, and help us recruit more donors to the registry.

Find out how you can share your story to inspire both donors and patients.

We have adult transplant centres in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia.