Need More Donors People
Donors like you save lives
Every 3-4 minutes
someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
75+ diseases
including leukemia and sickle cell can be cured or treated with a blood stem cell transplant.
7 out of 10 patients
don’t have a fully matched donor in their own family.
135,000+
Am I eligible to join the registry?
You can register as a potential donor if you’re:
- Between the ages of 18 and 40
- A resident of the U.S., its territories, or freely associated states
- Able to meet our health guidelines
- Not already registered through another U.S. organization
Members of the U.S. military: Learn how to register through the military donor program.
Not sure if you’re on the registry? We can help. Text or call us at 1 (800) MARROW-2 or email questions@nmdp.org.
Why is there an age limit to joining?
NMDP focuses on young adults because research shows blood stem cells from younger donors give patients their best chance at transplant success and surviving long term. Once registered, you’ll stay listed as a potential donor for patients until you're 61, unless you ask to be removed.
How do I join the registry?
1. Order your free swab kit
Registering online is easy. You’ll answer a few questions to confirm you can join, then tell us where to mail your free swab kit (usually arrives in 3-7 days).2. Swab and send it back
Follow the steps in the kit to swab your cheeks, then mail it back using the prepaid envelope. We’ll process your samples to add your tissue type to the registry.3. Stay connected and ready
Because matching is complex, some members are needed quickly, while others wait years. What helps patients most is that you stay committed each year and keep your contact information up to date.
How donation works
The donation journey varies from person to person, but here’s what you can generally expect:
You’re a match!
- You could be matched to any patient in need anywhere in the world.
- We’ll contact you by text, phone, email, letter—any way we can, so respond quickly.
- We may request more bloodwork to confirm you’re the best match for the patient.
Health check
If you’re the best match, you’ll complete a physical exam, more blood samples and a health questionnaire to confirm donation is safe for you and the patient. NMDP covers all costs associated with these.
Traveling for donation
Most donations involve U.S. travel.
- NMDP pays for all donation and travel costs, including flights, hotel stays and meals for you and a companion.
- We also cover missed pay from work, pet care and childcare.
If needed, we can help talk to your family, school, coach or employer about the commitment.
Donation day
You’ll donate in one of two ways:
- Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation—most donors (90%) donate via peripheral (circulating) blood.
- Bone marrow donation—some donors (10%) donate via marrow withdrawn from the hip bone while under anesthesia.
The doctor chooses the method that’s best for the success and health of their patient.
Recovery
Most PBSC and bone marrow donors can return to their regular activities within 1-7 days. Recovery time varies by person and which donation method was used.
The importance of your commitment
When you register, you make the commitment to:
- Keep your contact information up to date on your member profile
- Tell us about any significant health changes
- Respond quickly if you’re contacted as a match for someone
- Donate to any patient in the world who matches with you
- Remain on the registry until you’re 61, unless you ask to be removed
Donating via PBSC or bone marrow is always voluntary. Please contact us right away if you change your mind or need to be removed from the registry. Any delays in transplant can be dangerous or life-threatening to that patient.
Ethnicity and diversity matter
Patients and donors are matched through human leukocyte antigen (HLA) markers, inherited from both parents. Because of this, individuals are more likely to match with someone of similar ethnic background.
Patients from ethnically diverse backgrounds can face greater challenges in finding a donor. Improving the ethnic diversity of the registry improves all patients’ odds of finding a life-saving match, regardless of ethnic background.
By joining the registry, you can help bridge this gap.
Patient stories
St. Louis Blues superfan has victory over rare blood disorder
Laila, a young St. Louis Blues supporter, beat the odds when she received a transplant—and gained a new friend along the way.Give Cayden the gift of possibility
Leukemia has taken a lot from this 7-year-old—but not his fighting spirit. You could be the match that saves his life.