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About Stem Cell Donation
This is a NON-SURGICAL OUT-PATIENT procedure.
Donors receive daily injections of a drug called G-CSF (Granulocyde-colony stimulating factor) for five days prior to
the stem cell donation. This is to increase the number of blood stem cells in
the blood stream. On Day 6,by a process called apheresis, a donor’s blood is
removed through a needle in one arm and passed through a machine that separates
out these stem cells. The remaining blood components are returned to the donor
through the other arm simultaneously. Donors may experience mild headache or bone or
muscle aches for few days before collection. These are side effects of the G-CSF
injections and disappear shortly after donation.
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Q. What happens after I donate? |
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Answer: You can return to work in 2-3 days. |
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Q. Who can register as a Stem-cell donor?
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Answer:
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The committed donor must be between the ages of 18-50 in good health, younger the better.
The following are the preliminary guidelines for enrolling as a voluntary Stem Cell donor.
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• Free from major Heart, liver and kidney diseases.
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• The committed donor must not be over-weight.
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• Free of cancer, diabetes and other chronic incurable ailments
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• Free from high risk for contracting AIDS or the HIV virus.
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Procedure to register as a Stem Cell donor?
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Registration process includes the filling of a form and a small blood sample collection.
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Step 1 – Personally visit at any of the following centres in Mumbai
1. S.L. Raheja hospital Blood Bank, Mahim West. Tel: 022-56529683.
2. Tata Memorial hospital, Parel, Mumbai-12. Tel: 022-24177000 Extn-4681.
3. Saifee Hospital, Charni Road. Tel: 022- 67570111.
4. Holy Family Hospital Blood Bank, Bandra-50. Tel: 022-30610555.
5. Fortis Hospital (Wockhardt), Mulund. Tel: 022-67994187.
6. Dr. L H Hiranandani Hospital Blood Bank, Powai. Tel: 022-25763300.
7. ACTREC Blood Bank, Khargar, Navi Mumbai. Tel: 022-27405073.
8. Dr. Sunil Parekh’s Lab, Opera House, opp Roxy cinema, Mumbai. Tel: 022-23649913.
9. Nanavati Hospital Blood Bank, Vile Parle West. Tel: 022-26119924.
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Step 2 – Fill a form available at the blood banks followed by a small blood sample collection
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Step 3 - The blood will be HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) typed and stored in our confidential database.
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Step 4 – The database will be constantly checked to see if you match any patient
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Step 5 – As and when a match is found, you will be contacted for Stem Cell Donation.
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Donation |
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- If the registry indicates that your Stem cell type may match a patient in
need MDR(I) co- coordinator will contact you & arrange for further testing.
- If at any time, further testing indicates that your precise HLA type is compatible
with the Patient. The MDR(I) counselors will provide you with detailed information
about the Stem cell donation process & your options as a volunteer Donor.
You also will go through a thorough physical examination.
- After being fully informed you confirm to volunteer as a Donor and sign the consent
form.
- Your Stem Cells are collected by Apheresis.
- You are discharged & can resume normal activity. Marrow naturally replenishes
in a few weeks.
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Q. Does it cost anything to join the Registry? |
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Answer: No, You are not required to
pay anything to be registered as a Stem cell Donor. All testing including HLA typing
is done free of cost to the Donor. |
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Q. What is involved in joining the Registry? |
Answer: To join the Registry, you need to first be aware of the medical guidelines
required to be a Donor. You may contact MDR(I) or any blood bank mentioned above.
You may then schedule an appointment at MDR(I) office or attend a Stem cell drive.
At the center or drive, you will be given a health questionnaire and education about
being a Donor and if you are a suitable candidate and willing, they will draw a
small vial of blood to be tested.
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Q. Is joining the registry the right decision? |
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Answer: After reading some material
or being informed by the counselor, you may think it worth the most careful consideration
to participate in the registry. MDR(I) encourages a prospective Donor to think carefully
before becoming a volunteer Donor. The decision is an individual one.
Reconsider these points before joining the Registry:
- MDR(I) volunteer Donors must be willing to consider donating to any patient searching
the Registry. If one has doubts about donating Stem cells, they should delay
joining the registry until certain of the commitment to be able to donate.
- Uncommitted Donors give false hopes to patients awaiting for transplants..
Voluntary Participation & Withdrawal:
You are free to withdraw from the registry as a potential Donor at any time. If
you do so your sample will be destroyed & your HLA Typing will no
longer be available for searching Patients. However, your decision to withdraw will
not affect your ability to use the services of the Registry at any time in future. |
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Q. Can a Donor say no at any stage? |
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Answer: A volunteer Donor who is successfully
matched with a Patient may decide not to go ahead with the process. There are many
legitimate reasons for doing so such as illness, amount of time involved, risk or
even fear. MDR(I) would respect the decision of the matched volunteer Donor. |
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Q. What is the commitment of joining the Registry?
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Answer: When joining the
Registry, you are committing to donating Stem cells through peripheral blood,
for any potential matches, whether that is immediately or several
years away, until your 50th birthday. You should respond as quickly as possible
if you are contacted as a match. You can deregister yourself from the Registry at
any time you want to. Stem cell Donation is voluntary & you are never forced into
donation if you remained on the list. MDR(I) stresses for those interested in joining
the Registry that If you don't think that you can commit to being a Donor for anyone,
it is better not to join.
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Click Here To download the Donor Registry
Form |
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>> Join Now |
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