I am planning on joining the Bone Marrow Donation Registry. I have been studying a lot on leukaemias lately. I keep thinking how horrible it would be for a loved one (or myself for that matter) to need a bone marrow transplant and not have anyone that was a suitable match. It would be such an incredibly frustrating situation, given that if you were to walk through a crowded place you would potentially be walking past people who could save your loved one's life.
I have been doing my research, http://www.abmdr.org.au for anyone that's interested, and only about 1 in 1000 people that register end up donating per year. Apparently 70% of people in need of a transplant don't have a matching relative and rely on the bone marrow registry. The thought that I could be the difference between whether someone lives or dies is very compelling.
So, while I've already decided to register, I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had any personal experience in bone marrow transplants. Anybody here made a donation or received one, or had a friend or relative do so?
I have been doing my research, http://www.abmdr.org.au for anyone that's interested, and only about 1 in 1000 people that register end up donating per year. Apparently 70% of people in need of a transplant don't have a matching relative and rely on the bone marrow registry. The thought that I could be the difference between whether someone lives or dies is very compelling.
So, while I've already decided to register, I'd be interested to hear if anyone has had any personal experience in bone marrow transplants. Anybody here made a donation or received one, or had a friend or relative do so?