We are appreciative of your commitment in joining the Saudi Stem Cell Donor Registry to save a life, thus it is very important to carefully read the following general guidelines:
- You must be between 18 – 49 years old
- You should be aware that you might be called to donate your stem cell product for any patient worldwide. As we will uphold the highest standards of integrity, and with our commitment to protect the confidentiality of both donor and recipient, we are not permitted to disclose any information before a two year period after donation, and as per the agreement of both parties.
- You must read the carefully, and make sure that you are not suffering from any chronic illness.
- If you have been contacted for donation, it is critical to respond immediately.
The Saudi Stem Cell Donor Registry affirms that the donation is completely voluntarily, and you have the right to withdraw at your will.
There are two ways of collection:
1. Peripheral Blood collection
This procedure does not require any surgical intervention. The donor will be asked to take Filgrastim injections daily for four days, which will help in increasing the stem cells in the blood flow. At the fifth day, a tubing system through a special machine will be installed in both arms of the donor where stem cells will be collected and separated. The stem cells will be separated from the blood then the blood will be returned back to the body through a machine. This procedure will last approximately four hours. During the procedure, the donor can eat, drink, read or watch TV. The donor will be discharged home after the procedure on the same day. He/She will be given off work letter if required for few days.
2. Bone Marrow collection (Iliac Bones)
This is a surgical intervention procedure where the donor will be sedated and will not feel any pain during the surgical procedure. A special needle is inserted into both iliac bones. The needle has a tube attached to it, which creates suction where bone marrow fluid flows into the tube. Around 1 – 5 % will be taken from the bone marrow, while the immune system of the donor won’t be affected. It will take about 4-6 weeks to renew the bone marrow once again. Bone Marrow Aspiration takes about 30-40- minutes to be completed. The donor will be discharged to home on the same day or might stay in the hospital for another day if needed. The donor will be given off work letter for few days to one week if required.
If you decide to , you have to know that your information is going to be saved confidentially in our database as potential donor. We will call you if you were found to be a match for a patient who needs donation. And you will be asked if you are willing to donate.