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1.How to join the NMDP registry in USA?

    (1) Contact local Marrow Donor Center.
          To find out Phone Number for local Donor Center,please click here
    (2) Donate 3-5ml blood for HLA Typing
          The cost for HLA Typing is $70-$96 depends on the donor center.
          This contribution is tax deductible.Sometime this cost is waived by
          donor drive held by foundations like "Cammy Lee Leukemia
          Foundation"(CLLF), A3M etc.

          Cammy Lee Leukemia Foundation, Inc.

16 West 32 Street, Suite 10D,
New York, NY 10001-3808

          email: cllforg@yahoo.com
          web site: http://www.cllf.org
          phone: 646.473.0044
          fax: 646.473.0045
          toll-free: 800.77CAMMY

Asians for Miracle Marrow Matches(A3M)

231 E 3rd St. #G107
Los Angeles, CA 90013

Toll Free (888) 236-4673 / (888) A3M-HOPE

(3) NMDP saves your HLA Typing data to their Database

2.Marrow Donor Registration in Taiwan

There are two methods for marrow donation.(1)Peripheral Blood Stem Cell(PBSC) donation (2)marrow donation.

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Donation FAQ
Q: What is the PBSC donation process?
A: Before the PBSC donation, the donor receives a daily injection of Filgrastim for several days, then peripheral blood stem cells can be collected through the process of apheresis. Donating PBSC is similar to donating platelets at a blood bank. The donor's blood is removed through a sterile needle placed in a vein in one arm and passed through an apheresis machine that separates out the stem cells. The remaining blood, minus the stem cells, is returned to the donor through a sterile needle placed in the other arm.

Q: What is Filgrastim?
A: Filgrastim has been used for more than 10 years to increase white cell production in patients who need white blood cells to fight infections. It is similar to a substance produced naturally in the human body. For several years, it has been given to healthy donors to allow them to donate PBSC for transplants to relatives. The NMDP's plan for the use of Filgrastim in unrelated healthy donors, for the purpose of providing an alternative stem cell source, has been accepted by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA).

Q: What are the risks of PBSC donation?
A: The safety and well-being of donors and recipients is the first concern of the NMDP. A study of approximately 20,000 apheresis donations concluded that the apheresis collection procedure has a very low rate of adverse effects (Transfusion, vol. 38, October 1998).

Q: Where do I go to donate PBSC? How long will it take?
A: The PBSC collection site varies by Donor Center. Some centers perform the collection at the blood center; others use a local hospital. Generally, each collection procedure takes three to five hours.

Marrow Donation FAQ
Q: What is the marrow donation process?
A: The marrow is removed through a hollow surgical needle inserted into the iliac crest (back of the pelvic bone). All donors receive either general or regional anesthesia. The typical donation procedure can last from 45-90 minutes. Since marrow constantly regenerates itself, the donor's system will replace the extracted marrow completely within several weeks.

Q: Does marrow donation hurt?
A: Following the procedure, donors can expect to feel some soreness in the lower back for a few days. Some donors have also reported feeling fatigued and having some difficulty walking.

Q: How many people have donated marrow?
A: More than 11,000 individuals have donated marrow for unrelated patients since the NMDP began operation in 1987. Thousands more, perhaps 50-60,000, have donated for family members.

Q: Are there any risks involved in marrow donation?
A: As with any surgical procedure, there is some risk involved. Serious complications are rare.The NMDP and its centers take all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety and well-being of the donor. A number of personal health questions are asked when individuals join the Registry to be sure they are in general good health. Before actually becoming a donor, a volunteer will receive a thorough physical examination.