Become a stem cell donor: life-saving typing campaign in Lasa!

Become a stem cell donor: life-saving typing campaign in Lasa!

An important typing campaign will take place at the LKH Laas on December 11, 2025. This event, organized from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the hospital foyer, offers the opportunity to register as potential stem cell donors. Under the motto “Save lives too – become a stem cell donor” we call on people to become active and make a contribution to helping people with leukemia and other blood diseases. According to Gailtal Journal, an average of three people in Austria get leukemia every day, with over 300 patients dependent on a suitable stem cell donation every year.

Despite the constant demand, there is an alarming reality: the right donor is not found for around 10% of patients. But the chances of a cure increase significantly with the willingness to donate. According to the information, the probability increases to up to 70% if sufficient typing is carried out. The typing itself is carried out using a painless cheek swab, which determines six HLA characteristics. Statistically, every 323rd typing results in a life-saving stem cell donation, which underlines the urgency of such actions.

The importance of typing

The organizers emphasize that the registration conditions for donors are relatively simple: they must be between 16 and 45 years old, healthy and weigh more than 50 kilograms. After typing, these people can remain in the donor file until their 61st birthday. The donation itself can be done in two ways: through a stem cell donation from the bloodstream or through a bone marrow donation, which is done under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. These procedures are necessary because stem cell donations often represent the last hope for patients for whom chemotherapy and radiation no longer help.

As the website Give for Life explains, the costs for the typing, which are around 40 euros per person, are covered by donations from private individuals, companies and institutions. Medical attendants are available to assist donors, and the majority of typing is done through cheek swabs, which can be done online or at events. So far, over 330,000 people in Austria have been typed as potential stem cell donors, an increase from 3.2% to 3.6% last year. Nevertheless, the proportion remains rather low compared to Germany, where over 12% of the population is typecast.

The personal stories

The level of typing makes the need for such actions even clearer, especially in view of World Blood Cancer Day on May 28th, which served as the occasion for the current call for typing. Every year around 300 people with blood cancer in Austria wait for a stem cell donation, and the necessary typing is a simple, painless way to potentially save lives. According to ORF, the big difference that participation in such campaigns can often only become clear through personal stories and successes.

In summary, it can be said that the upcoming typing campaign at the LKH Laas represents a valuable opportunity. Not only could it be crucial for those affected by leukemia and other blood diseases, but it could also serve as a call to action for the community to get actively involved and take responsibility. Every single effort can make a significant difference in the fight against these serious diseases.