Become a Donor for a BMT Patient

Donate marrow or peripheral blood stem cells

If you’re a healthy person between the ages of 18 and 44, you may be able to donate stem cells to save the life of a patient who needs a blood or marrow transplant. There are two ways of collecting stem cells: by harvesting bone marrow or collecting peripheral blood stem cells (also called blood progenitor cells, or BPCs). In general, bone marrow is a better transplant option for pediatric patients, while BPCs tend to work better in adult patients.

To learn more about the donation process and find out whether you are eligible to donate, visit Be The Match.

Donate platelets

Maria Turner, Marketing & Communications Director of Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, explains the process of donating platelets.

Patients who undergo blood and marrow transplantation often need infusions of platelets, a part of the blood that helps it to clot. Platelets can be stored for only five days after donation, so Roswell Park has an ongoing need for platelet donations. The process is similar to a regular donation of whole blood, but takes about two hours. Eligible donors can give platelets every two weeks. You may donate for a specific patient or for any Roswell Park patient who needs platelets.

Visit the Roswell Park Donor Center for more information, or call 716-845-8275.