Thousands of people diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia and lymphoma, sickle cell and other life-threatening diseases need a bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant in order to live. They depend on Be The Match Registry® to find a matching donor — someone like you.
You have the power to help, the power to give hope!
Finding A Match: The Basics
For a successful transplant, a patient needs a matching donor. Seventy percent (70%) of the patients cannot find a matching donor within their family. These patients will depend on the Registry to help find them a donor. Special testing determines whether a patient and a donor are a good match
Race And Ethnicity Matter
Because the markers used in matching are inherited, patients are more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity. Adding more bone marrow donors and cord blood units from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to the Be The Match Registry increases the likelihood that patients will find the match they need.
Your heritage can make all the difference. If you are from one of the following communities, you are especially encouraged to register as a bone marrow or donate umbilical cord blood upon delievery:
- Black and African American
- American Indian and Alaska Native
- Asian (which includes East, Southeast & South Asians)
- Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
- Hispanic and Latino
- Multiple race
Learn more about the importance of diversifying and increasing the donor pool. Email us at info@aadp.org
