FAQs

1
FAQs If you are like most people, you will have
a few basic questions about what it means to get
tested. Its natural to be unsure and perhaps a
bit apprehensive. What exactly is a marrow /
stem cell transplant? Simply, it is the
replacement of diseased marrow with marrow from a
healthy donor. It is infused into a patients
vein just like a blood transfusion. Within 2-3
weeks, the marrow / stem cells begin to produce
normal blood cells in the patient. If I am a
match, will the donation process be harmful to
me? Nowadays, most stem cell donation is done by
a minimally invasive procedure. It involves an
injection that releases the stem cells from your
bone marrow into your blood stream. Your blood
will then be drawn, the stem cells harvested, and
the rest of your blood given back to you. This
procedure requires no anesthesia and no hospital
stay and is minimally painful. What is the
blood test process to see if I am a match? To get
tested, you will provide a small sample of blood
(about a spoonful) at a blood drive, test center,
or by your physician. Your blood will then be
HLA-typed. This information will then be stored
in a national registry. That way, if a match
comes up with a patient in need down the road,
the registry will be able to contact you. How
do I know if I am a match? If you are found to be
a possible match with Pia or another patient, you
will be contacted immediately and give you the
option of proceeding to the next level/s of
testing to insure final compatibility. What
are the chances of finding a compatible
donor? The chance of matching Pia or any other
patient is 1 in 20,000 to 1 in 100,000. It is
vital that everyone get tested to increase Pias
and other patients chances of survival. YOU
could be that special life-giving person! Can I
be a donor? Yes, you can be a donor as long as
you are in generally good health, between 18-60
years of age, with no history of cancer,
diabetes, or certain other conditions (if you are
in doubt, please check with us). What if I cant
make it to this blood drive? Several blood test
drives are scheduled in the upcoming weeks around
the country. Visit www.matchpia.org for
locations, dates, and times. What if Ive
already registered before? We thank you for your
generosity. If you have already registered in
the National Marrow Donor program, you do not
need to be tested again. Your information is
already in the database. However, please make
sure your contact information in the registry
remains updated in case you are a potential match.