Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry
- What is bone marrow?
- Why are bone marrow donors needed?
- Can I be a donor?
- How are donors selected?
- What happens if I am selected as a donor?
- How is the donation collected?
- How is the transplant performed?
- Is there any cost to me?
Bone marrow tissue, found in the hollow centre of our long bones, is the factory where new blood cells are made. Without it, our bodies would be unable to produce the white cells needed to fight infection, or red blood cells which carry oxygen and platelets are required to stop bleeding.
Why are bone marrow donors needed?
Each year, thousands of Australians are diagnosed with some form of leukaemia or other cancer of the blood. In many cases, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant is the only treatment for these patients.
The most suitable donor is a fully matched family member, but only about one patient in four is able to find a match with in their family. In this case, the patient must search for an unrelated donor on the registry.
In order to become a bone marrow donor you must be between the ages of 18 and 40 years at the time of registration and be in good health. You may be asked to donate a unit of blood and undergo screening tests for viruses and other infections. Donors are retired from the registry on their 56th birthday.
Your tissue type is entered into a national database. When a patient needs a donor, their tissue type will be compared to all the tissue types on the registry. If you match with a patient, you will be contacted for another blood sample to confirm the match and asked if you are prepared to be a donor. Only 1 in 10,000 will be asked to donate in any one year.
What happens if I am selected as a donor?
Before a donation is made, an independent specialist with detailed knowledge of stem cell donation will assess you medically and answer any questions you may have. In Australia, donation occurs in one of the major hospitals in the capital cities, so you would not be required to travel interstate or overseas.
How is the donation collected?
Currently there are two ways a donor can donate. The choice will be dictated by the patient’s needs.
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donation – Normally, the number of stem cells circulating in the blood is low. To increase the number of blood stem cells, a hormone-like substance called G-CSF is injected under the skin daily for 4 days prior to the procedure. The stem cells are then collected by a procedure called leukapheresis. During this procedure, a needle is inserted into a vein in your arm and your blood passes into a cell separator machine, which selectively removes the stem cells.
The remaining blood components are immediately returned. This procedure is performed at a hospital or blood bank, does not require a general anaesthetic and takes approximately 3-4 hours. After the procedure you may leave but subsequent donations may be necessary if insufficient cell numbers were collected.
This procedure is generally well tolerated but you may experience bone pain and some flu-like symptoms during the course of the injections which usually respond to paracetamol.
Bone Marrow Donation – Bone marrow is collected under general anaesthetic from the cavities in the hip bones. Using a needle and syringe, punctures are made through the skin over each hip and the marrow is extracted from the pelvic bone cavity. This procedure can take up to two hours. In the month before the collection you may be asked to donate one or two units of blood. The time needed for complete recovery varies, but generally you can go home the next day and resume your normal activities after two or three days. Normal bone marrow will re-grow rapidly to replace the donated bone marrow.The risks for donating bone marrow are the same as those with any general anaesthetic. The chance of a serious complication is very low, but some people may experience nausea and local pain for several days.
How is the transplant performed?
About a week before the transplant, the patient has chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to destroy their diseased bone marrow. They then receive the healthy donated bone marrow - similar to a blood transfusion.
The main cost to you will be some of your time. The Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry will cover all medical and hospital expenses related to the stem cell donation. Incidental expenses associated with stem cell donation - such as travel to and from hospital and accommodation, if necessary - will be reimbursed.
BMDI Cord Blood Bank
- What does being a cord blood donor involve?
- Can all cord bloods be donated?
- Can collecting the cord blood harm the baby?
- Can cord blood be collected and stored specifically for the donor’s family in case a family member becomes sick?
- Can the placenta be stored over the weekend until cord blood can be collected?
- What is the 6 month follow-up?
- Can a mother change her mind?
- How successful is cord blood transplantation?
- Contact information for mothers
What does being a cord blood donor involve?
When you decide that you wish to become a cord blood donor, you need to contact the cord blood collection centre in your state to find out which hospitals participate in cord blood collection. They will then put you in touch with a cord blood co-ordintor and make a time for an interview. You will be asked to fill out a form and you will be able to discuss the process at that time.
Once you have had your baby, a blood sample will be taken after the birth, and another one six months later. These blood tests are to ensure that the donor is healthy and there is no risk to a transplant patient.
For appointment information please contact:
NSW & NT
Australian Cord Blood Bank
Sydney Children’s Hospital
Level 3. Clinical Services Building
High Street
Randwick NSW 2031
Ph. 02 9382 0371
Web: www.sch.edu.au/departments/acbb/
Vic, SA, Tas & WA
BMDI National Cord Blood Bank
Royal Children’s Hospital
Flemington Rd
Parkville VIC 3052
Ph. 03 9345 5834
Email: cord.rch@rch.org.au
Web: www.mcri.edu.au/pages/cordbloodbank/
QLD
Queensland Cord Blood Bank
Level 5
Mater Mothers’ Hospital
Raymond Terrace
South Brisbane QLD 4100
Ph. 07 3163 1614
Can all cord bloods be donated?
We will not collect cord blood from mothers carrying twins or triplets because the amount of cord blood is not enough. For the same reason, we cannot collect cord blood from mothers who deliver before 36 weeks’ gestation. If there is any chance of complications, the obstetrician or midwife may decide that it is not appropriate to collect the cord blood.
Can collecting the cord blood harm the baby?
Because the cord blood is collected after the baby is born and the cord is cut, the collection does not affect the mother, the baby or the birth in any way. We do not interfere with the birth and do not require a blood sample the baby. Remember, the cord blood is taken from the placenta and cord, which - in most cases - is simply discarded after the birth.
Can cord blood be collected and stored specifically for the donor’s family in case a family member becomes sick?
Not unless the family member is currently suffering from a condition that their doctor advises could be treated with a cord blood transplant. In this case, special arrangements are made for the cord blood to be collected and stored within the Family Collection Service of the Children’s Hospital until transplant. Cord blood collected by this service is not used for the bank as if is collected under different conditions.
Keeping donated cord blood specifically for private use is not part of the BMDI Cord Blood Bank charter. Testing and storage of cord blood is very expensive, and it would be a waste of resources to store units that would probably never be used.
Can the placenta be stored over the weekend until cord blood can be collected?
The cord blood clots very quickly and must be collected immediately after birth, it can not be stored prior to collection.
What is the 6 month follow-up?
Six months after a donation, we ask mothers to answer a short questionnaire about their health and that of the baby. Some inherited diseases may not be obviously present at birth, but only become apparent after several months. The baby’s health will be an assurance that the cord blood can be used for transplantation. We require another blood sample from the mother at this time to double check if there are any medical conditions that we might have missed at the time of donation.
Yes. Participation is completely voluntary. Mothers’ are free to withdraw consent at any time without explanation.
How successful is cord blood transplantation?
Currently, transplantation of cord blood from unrelated donors has a success rate of about 80%. Cord blood transplants are a last alternative for seriously ill patients - cord blood will give these patients a second chance at life.
Contact information for mothers:
If you wish to become a cord blood donor or would like more information, please contact:
BMDI Cord Blood Bank (Australia)
Tel (03) 9345 5834
Email: cord.rch@rch.org.au
Web: www.mcri.edu.au/pages/cordbloodbank/
Alternatively if you are having a baby in Melbourne at any of the following hospitals you can call the cord blood nurse directly.
Royal Women’s Hospital
(03) 9344 2735
Box Hill Hospital
(03) 9895 3484
Angliss Hospital
(03) 9764 6216