Olivier, stem cell donor
Someone like you needs you.
Each year, thousands of people count on the Stem Cell Donor Registry to find a matching donor. When you join the Registry, you might be the only one who can save the life of someone who needs a transplant.
Who can join the Registry?
You can join the Registry if you are between 18 and 35 years old, in good health and willing to donate stem cells to whoever needs them.
How does stem cell donation work?
There are two ways to donate stem cells. The steps of the process will vary depending on the type of donation you make.
How can I join the Registry?
To join, fill out our registration form. We will send you a buccal swab kit with instructions.
Frequently asked questions
A matched donor is someone whose genetic markers are sufficiently similar to the patient’s. These genetic markers can be found in all of your body’s cells, including blood stem cells. If these markers are not a close enough match between donor and recipient, the transplant cannot be performed, as there is a high risk of recipient mortality.
The donor’s and recipient’s stem cells should be as genetically similar as possible. Because genetics are hereditary, the first place to check for a match is a patient’s siblings. If there are no family matches, the stem cell registry is checked for a matched unrelated donor.
Donor-recipient matches are extremely rare. That means that the more potential donors there are in the Registry, the higher the likelihood of finding a match for a patient—and the more ethnically diverse the Registry, the higher the chances that everyone can access life-saving treatments.
Understanding donation
Maladies et conditions médicales
Therapeutic use: stem cell transplant
Cellules souches
What’s a stem cell?
Cellules souches
What is the Stem Cell Donor Registry?