World Marrow Donor Day celebrates donors and encourages new members to join the Stem Cell Registry
World Marrow Donor Day is celebrated internationally on 22 September. The purpose of the day is to thank all members of the Stem Cell Registry and volunteer donors who give seriously ill patients a chance at life. At the same time, it highlights the importance of joining the Stem Cell Registry. This year, the goal of recruiting 5,000 new members is in danger of falling short.
In Finland, around 150 patients require a stem cell transplant each year, for example to treat leukemia or another serious blood disease. For many of them, finding a suitable donor is vital.
The optimal donor for a patient may be a tissue type-matched sibling or a registry donor. Therefore, a donor search is often carried out simultaneously within the family and through the Stem Cell Registry, including internationally.
The Finnish Stem Cell Registry currently has approximately 83,000 members. The goal is to recruit 5,000 new members this year, but by the end of August only 1,200 people had joined.
“Stem cell transplantation is often a patient’s last chance for recovery. Every new member can make a difference, because the donor’s and patient’s tissue types must match. That is why we urgently need more members,” emphasizes Taina Jaatinen, Head of the Stem Cell Registry.
Liinu Pellikka Was Selected as a Donor
Each year, around 60 members of the Finnish registry go on to donate stem cells. One of this year’s donors is Liinu Pellikka, who joined the Stem Cell Registry during a blood donation visit at a Finnish Red Cross Blood Service donation centre and soon afterwards was selected as a donor. (Read Liinu’s story.)
“There was no reason not to join when I had the opportunity to help.”
Six months later, her tissue type proved to be a match for a seriously ill patient. The stem cell donation process went smoothly.
“I hope the patient who received my stem cells gained hope and an opportunity for a healthier life. The donation process can feel daunting and even frightening, but it is still something you can do. You can live knowing that you have done something truly important,” says Liinu Pellikka.
Join the Stem Cell Registry
People aged 18 to 35 can join the Stem Cell Registry. You may be called upon to donate until the age of 56. You can join at any Finnish Red Cross Blood Service donation centre or order a home sampling kit through the Stem Cell Registry website.
You can check your eligibility for membership in the Stem Cell Registry with a quick online test at:
