Together against blood cancer: Become a stem cell donor and save lives!

Together against blood cancer: Become a stem cell donor and save lives!

More and more people in Austria are committed to fighting blood cancer. A clear sign of this is the increase in stem cell typing from 3.2% to 3.6% last year, report 5min.at. Over 330,000 Austrians are already registered as potential stem cell donors. Nevertheless, the need is enormous: every year around 300 people in Austria wait for a stem cell donation. For around 10% of those affected, no suitable donor can be found.

In Germany, the proportion of people tested is over 12%, which shows that there is still a lot of potential for improvement in Austria. On the occasion of World Blood Cancer Day on May 28th, there is a renewed call for typing; this call is particularly aimed at Austrians between the ages of 17 and 45.

Requirements and procedures for stem cell donation

In order to be considered as a stem cell donor, those interested should meet a few requirements. These include an age between 18 and 35 years, the absence of serious illnesses, a minimum weight of 50 kg and a maximum body mass index (BMI) of 40. Registration in other stem cell donor files is not permitted. Exclusion criteria also include various serious health impairments, including cardiovascular diseases and infectious diseases.

The typing itself is simply done using a painless cheek swab or a blood sample, which is a quick and easy way to get registered. Those interested can take part in typing campaigns or request a typing set online. Registration as a stem cell donor is possible up to the age of 35, although younger people often offer better quality stem cells.

The process of stem cell donation

Stem cell donation can be done in a variety of ways, depending on the patient's medical needs and the procedure chosen. The most common method is peripheral stem cell donation, which accounts for about 80% of all donations. The donor receives growth factors for five days before the stem cells are removed on an outpatient basis. The entire process takes about 4 to 5 hours and does not require anesthesia.

Alternatively, bone marrow donation can be considered, in which stem cells are removed from the pelvic bone under general anesthesia. The collection takes about an hour and the donor usually stays in the hospital for three days. There is also the option of umbilical cord blood donation, but this is rarely used because many parents are not informed about this option.

All registered donors are anonymous and their data is stored in the Austrian Stem Cell Register. If the HLA characteristics match, the donors are notified and the next steps for stem cell collection are organized. It is important to emphasize that donors can withdraw their consent at any time, but this may result in life-threatening risks for the recipient.

As gesundheit.gv.at explains, the costs of the donation measures, including travel, loss of earnings and other expenses, are covered by the recipient's health insurance. The registration and typing of potential stem cell donors is carried out by foundations and organizations that actively ask for donations to sustain their work.

Given the increasing number of illnesses and the associated need for donors, the call for support remains urgent. Further information about typing and active donation campaigns can be found on the websites Give for Life, Red Cross and Transplant.