You could be someone’s cure
If you are a potential match for a patient, you will be contacted at any or all steps of the patient search process:
Step 1. During a transplant center’s preliminary search of the Be The Match Registry, when you’re ranked high on a list of potential donors who are a possible match for a patient.
Step 2. When a patient’s doctor requests additional testing of your HLA tissue sample (that you provided when you joined the registry) to determine if you’re a good match, helping to narrow the list of potential donors.

Step 3. For confirmatory typing when a patient’s doctor requests a blood sample from you for additional testing to determine if you’re the best donor for the patient.
All medical expenses related to additional testing and donation will be covered by the patient’s insurance or by Be The Match®.
At each stage you will be asked to:
- Confirm your willingness to move forward.
- Sign a consent form.
- Complete questions about your health so that donation is safe for you and the patient. See medical guidelines when you match a patient for more information.
- Confirm your contact information.
- Discuss any questions you have about additional testing and the donation process.
After any testing stage, it may take up to 60 days for the patient’s doctor to review the results, select a donor and decide to move forward with a transplant. If you have questions about the donation process you can find answers in Donation FAQs or call 1 (800) MARROW-2 to speak to a Be The Match representative.
Matching donors to patients
If we do contact you, you might be one of many potential matches or you may be the only match. It’s critical that you call your contact representative right away. A patient is counting on you. Learn more about how donors are selected.
Resources for potential donors
- Download or view our donor education (PDF) and potential match (PDF) for the basic facts, steps in the additional testing process, and to learn about both donation procedures

We need to hear from you
Call now, if:
- You’ve received a message that you’re a possible match.
- You have questions or concerns about proceeding with donation at this time.
- You are no longer interested in being a donor and would like to be removed from the registry. You can call us to be removed from the registry, or use the online update form. We invite you to check out other ways to be the cure.
If you lost or misplaced the call-back number, call 1 (800) MARROW-2 (1-800-627-7692).