Should i donate stem cells

How we help Scientific discovery Advanced therapies Service developments. How you can help Donate Get involved Partners Tell your story. You are here: Home What we do Transplantation services Stem cells. Stem cells Donate the building blocks of life. Stem cells are amazing They can grow into any other cell in your body. Your details stay on the register until your 61st birthday. Bone marrow or stem cell transplant are treatments for some types of cancer.

You have them with high dose chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy. Treatments can include surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy or targeted cancer drugs. Find out about treatments and how to cope with side effects. Find out about possible causes of cancer, how cancer starts and grows, tests to diagnose it, and general information about treatments. About Cancer generously supported by Dangoor Education since Questions about cancer?

Call freephone 9 to 5 Monday to Friday or email us. Skip to main content. Home About cancer General cancer information Treatment for cancer Stem cell and bone marrow transplants Who can donate stem cells or bone marrow? Go to the cancer types section for information about treatment for your type of cancer.

Visit the BBMR website. Go to the Anthony Nolan website. PBSC are collected from circulating peripheral blood. Since only a small number of blood stem cells is released into the blood stream, a cell growth stimulating drug is administered to donors prior to the donation to dramatically increase the volume of stem cells in the blood for collection and transplant. PBSC donors receive an injection of a drug called granulocyte colony stimulating factor G-CSF every day for four days prior to the donation.

These injections stimulate the production and release of stems cells from the bone marrow into the blood stream. Additional injection s may be required on the day of the donation. The stem cells are then collected using a procedure called apheresis.

Apheresis is a collection method where only the stem cells are separated and collected during donation. The remaining blood components are returned to the donor. This is a non-surgical procedure and takes approximately four-six hours. In some cases, a second donation is required the following day. Apheresis is a common regularly used method for collecting plasma and platelet donations.

Donors sometimes feel cold during the procedure, so blankets are provided to ensure comfort. Possible short-term side effects from the G-CSF injections may include mild to moderate bone pain, muscle pain, headaches, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting and redness or pain at the injection site.

These reactions normally disappear within 24 to 48 hours after donating. There are currently no known long-term side effects from the use of the drug. All known risks and side effects are explained during a detailed information session completed by the registered nurse, as well as the physician overseeing the donation.

If you are selected as a match to a patient and proceed with the donation, it's important to keep a list of any questions you may have and to ensure you're comfortable with the answers as you meet with the various health care professionals. Bone marrow stem cell donation is a surgical procedure performed under anesthesia. The physician administering the donation uses a special hollow needle to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of the pelvic hip bones.

The procedure usually lasts 45 to 90 minutes. The amount collected can range from 0. This is calculated based on the height and weight of the donor and patient. There are some risks associated with anesthesia. If you have healed melanoma in situ, skin cancer, cervical cancer in situ, breast cancer in situ, or bladder cancer in situ you will be able to donate. In situ cancer is diagnosed at a very early stage [stage 0] and is specifically called "in situ.

If you have been diagnosed and treated for a solid tumor type cancer and it has been more than 5 years since completion of treatment and no recurrence, you may be able to donate. If you have had any other form of cancer, you will not be able to donate — no matter the length of time since treatment or recovery.

In general, if you have completed chemical dependency treatment, it has been at least 12 months since therapy, and you have no physical ailments that may put you at risk for donation, you may be able to donate. If you have a condition such as attention deficit disorder ADD , attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD , bipolar or manic-depressive disorder, or depression, you may be allowed to donate as long as the condition is well-controlled and you are medically stable.

Mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or delusional disorder will prevent you from donating marrow or blood-forming cells. It is important that you are committed and able to follow through with the donation process. They are meant to protect your safety and well-being and provide the best possible outcome for the patient. If you are called to donate marrow or blood-forming cells, you may not be able to donate if you show signs of a serious cold or flu at the time of donation.

If you have been called as a potential match, it is important that you contact your local donor center if you develop cold or flu symptoms. Symptoms such as a fever greater than If you have a history of depression that is stable and well-controlled, you may be able to donate. Contact your local donor center to discuss any other mental health conditions. If your diabetes is well-controlled, you may be allowed to donate after careful evaluation of your current health status.

In general, if your diabetes is well-controlled by either diet or oral pill medications, you may be able to donate. If you require insulin or any injected medications to treat diabetes or if you have diabetes-related serious health issues such as kidney, heart or eye disease, you are not able to donate. If you have questions regarding your diabetes, contact your local donor center. If you have epilepsy, you may be able to donate after careful evaluation of your seizure history.

Certain situations may be associated with developing epilepsy. Examples include a family history, head injuries, stroke or other vascular diseases, and brain infections.

In general, if you have well-controlled epilepsy including well controlled seizure activity, you may be allowed to donate. In general, if you have heart disease, you may not donate. This includes a prior heart attack, any history of angioplasty, cardiac bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery or pacemakers. However, some heart conditions such as well-controlled irregular heartbeats arrhythmias , mitral valve prolapse or successful cardiac ablation do not necessarily prevent donation.