1. Initial Recruitment
Prospective donors must be between the ages of 18-60 and in general good health. Volunteers can participate at a community recruitment drive or order a kit online on this website! Testing is simple, and involves a swab from the inside of the cheeks to collect a sample of DNA. The donor's tissue type is then entered into the Registry and made available to patients worldwide in need of transplants!

2. Confirmatory Typing
If identified as a match, the next step involves collecting a blood sample which will be evaluated by the patient's transplant center. This will also include testing for Infectious Disease Markers. Donors will be contacted by telephone or by mail. It is important to notify the Registry of changes of address, since it could be years before a donor is ever identified as a match (if ever).

3. Workup
If results from the confirmatory typing are a match and Infectious Disease Markers are normal, the transplant center may request a physical exam and health history. Before this takes place, an Information Session is scheduled between the donor and a registry representative. Donor education is our highest priority, to ensure that volunteers understand the entire process and the risks / benefits associated with donation. A consent form is reviewed with the donor at this time as well. Donors are given a book on the process, along with a compact disc containing a video.

If the donor agrees to participate, the physical exam is scheduled. This includes a chest x-ray, EKG, complete blood count, chemistry and other lab tests. If cleared, the donor is scheduled for bone marrow harvest or blood stem cell donation.