What are the processes to become a bone marrow donor?

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- Any person in good health between 18 and 55 years old can donate bone marrow.
- Donors fill out a form with personal data and they also have 5ml blood samples collected for testing. These tests determine the genetic characteristics which are necessary for compatibility between donor and patient. The marrow won't be donated after the completion of the form. (This is what scare people).
- Personal data and test results are stored in a computerized system which performs the information crossing among patients' data who are in need of a transplant. - In case of compatibility with a patient, the donor is called for further examinations and to perform the donation.
- Bone marrow is removed from inside the pelvic bones through punctures. It's recomposed for our system in only 15 days. It would be very simple and easy, if compatibility among donors and recipient cells wasn't difficult to reach. The chance of finding a compatible marrow is, on average, AT ONE IN A HUNDRED THOUSAND! - That's why records Marrow Donor Volunteers are organize, whose function is to register people willing to donate. When a patient needs a transplant and doesn't have a donor in the family, this register is consulted. If a suitable donor is found, he/she will be invited to make a donation.
- For the donor, the donation is just a nuisance passenger. For the patient, will be the difference between life and death.



    Testimony



'' I write to say that I helped save a life. It was in 2005 when I donated my bone marrow to a child who was suffering from leukemia. It all began in February, 2004 in Tatuí city when a campaign held by AMEO (association of bone marrow) in order to register potential bone marrow donors happened. Touched me to know that the chance of finding a matching donor is one in one hundred thousand. I made the blood collection and my data entered in REDOME (National Registry of Bone Marrow Donor). After a year I was contacted by REDOME because there was a child in need of a marrow that was compatible with mine. I made the necessary examinations to confirm the compatibility and also tests to prove my health. Sometimes It was necessary to go on HC SP for tests. All expenses were paid by REDOME.
The donation was scheduled for October of that year. The doctors and nurses of the BMT (Bone Marrow Transplantation) gave me all the necessary guidance and also explained to me how the transplantation would be done. The procedure was very simple: after taking spinal anesthesia, about 10% of marrow was aspirated with special needles that pierce the hip bone. Shortly after the patient was already receiving the transplantation. Next day I left the hospital. I felt a little pain in the drilled area. I was also a little bit anemic. I returned to work on the next day, taking medicine provided by the Hospital I recovered quickly from anemia. Only two circular dots above the buttocks were left as "scars". It was the most rewarding experience of my life: the day I helped save someone's life. An indescribable privilege that more people could participate.''  (Anonymous)

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Written by: Tamires Menas and Sabrina de Campos

​Bone marrow donation:

​You won’t donate your bone marrow before knowing if someone is compatible with you.​