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Donation Explained

A blood cancer diagnosis is a shock and often marks the start of a race against time. For many patients, their only chance of survival is to find a matching blood stem cell donor, as fast as possible. That is why donor profiles with all the relevant information, along with the best possible processes, are so important for us.

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Step 1
Search for a match
Step 1
Search for a match
A blood cancer diagnosis is a shock and often marks the start of a race against time. For many patients, their only chance of survival is to find a matching blood stem cell donor, as fast as possible.
Article
Updating your donor profile
Fine typing for a patient inquiry
Ready to save a life fast – as a donor with common HLA characteristics
Donor guide: The path to stem cell donation
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Step 2
A potential match
Step 2
A potential match
If your tissue characteristics match those of a patient, our staff will contact you immediately to ask if you are still willing to donate your stem cells.
Article
The briefing call
Health questionnaire – Your health is our top priority
Confirmatory typing – Further analysis of your tissue characteristics
Result: Get ready to save a life. But how long does it all take?
Donor guide: The path to stem cell donation
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Step 3
Getting ready
Step 3
Getting ready
From now on, every day counts  – because in many cases, patients need their stem cell transplants to happen as soon as they possibly can.
Article
Where and when you donate
We cover your costs as a stem cell donor
Preliminary health check and consent to donation
Preparing for the transplant
Donor guide: The path to stem cell donation
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Step 4
Stem cell donation
Step 4
Stem cell donation
There are two different ways to donate stem cells: peripheral stem cell donation, and bone marrow donation.
Article
Peripheral stem cell collection
Potential second donations
Lymphocyte donation
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Step 5
After donating
Step 5
After donating
After your stem cell donation, we ask you to take part in a donor follow-up. This helps us to keep a close eye on your well-being.
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Long-term donor follow-up
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Step 6
Patient meeting
Step 6
Patient meeting
After the donation, new questions keep coming up - most of them revolve around the recipient of the stem cells. How is he or she doing? Is it possible to get in touch or even get to know each other personally?
Article
How is my patient doing?
A unique experience: meeting in person
Everyone grieves differently
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Step 1
Search for a match
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Step 2
A potential match
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Step 3
Getting ready
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Step 4
Stem cell donation
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Step 5
After donating
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Step 6
Patient meeting
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3 Articles
The search - All in for the perfect match
As the world’s leading blood stem cell donor centre, we are constantly improving our quality standards.
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5 Articles
You are a potential match for a patient
What happens next? If your tissue characteristics match those of a patient, our staff will contact you immediately to ask if you are still willing to donate your stem cells. If you are, we will carry out a few tests and ask you some questions to ensure that you will be able to donate.
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4 Articles
Preparing to donate
We’ll be with you every step of the way. Once you have undergone confirmatory typing, we will know you are a “genetic twin” and can give a person with blood cancer a second chance at life.
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Your stem cell donation - Preparation and procedure
First of all, a big thank-you to you for volunteering to donate stem cells to a blood cancer patient whose life depends specifically on your donation. You will be giving that patient the greatest gift of all: a second chance at life.
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You are important to us
After your stem cell donation, we ask you to take part in a donor follow-up. This helps us to keep a close eye on your well-being.
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3 Articles
Contacting the patient you supported
Even after donating, you may find you have new questions. Often, these are about the recipient of the stem cells. How is he or she doing? Is it possible to get in touch or even get to know each other personally?
Do you need more information?
info@dkms-africa.org021 701 0661
Popular Donor Articles
DKMS Donor Kuda Mandinyenya
Stem cell donation
Peripheral stem cell collection
This is the most common method of stem cell collection, used in over 95 per cent of cases.
Hospital
Prepare to donate
Where and when you donate
Your health is always our top priority.
Prepare to donate
We cover your costs as a stem cell donor
Your employer may offer you paid leave of absence so you can donate.
More ways to help
You can support the DKMS in many ways and thus give new hope for life to many blood cancer patients.
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