How To Donate Bone Marrow in California

According to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), donating your bone marrow can save the life of a patient with leukemia, lymphoma or other life-threatening diseases. You can enter your details into the Be The Match Registry to help doctors around the world find you. If you are a genetic match with a patient, you can donate your bone marrow. You have to be between the ages of 18 and 60, meet the NMDP health guidelines and are willing to donate to any patient who needs your donation.

Instructions

• 1

  Contact the donor center near you. In California, you can call City of Hope in Duarte, National Marrow Donor Program Northern California & Northwest District in Oakland, National Marrow Donor Program Northern CA & N.W. District in Palo Alto, LifeStream in San Bernardino, San Diego Blood Bank in San Diego or National Marrow Donor Program Southern California & Southwest District in Santa Ana.

• 2

  Go to the donor center to complete a health questionnaire, sign a consent form and provide a blood sample.

• 3

  Provide more blood samples if contacted by the donor center when a match occurs.

• 4

  Attend an information session and undergo a physical exam if the donor center still considers you to be a good match. Sign the "Intent to Donate" agreement and set a date for the transplant.

• 5

  Go to the donor center on the date of the transplant. Under general or regional anesthesia, the medical staff will use needles and syringes to collect marrow from the rear of your pelvic bone. Recovery usually takes between four to six weeks.