Sponsor A Bone Marrow Drive

Who can hold a drive?

Anyone can hold a marrow drive! Businesses, sororities, fraternities, individuals, families, and organizations! They are all welcome to join the National Registry!

Where can a drive be held?

A marrow drive can be held anywhere at almost anytime! We are available seven days a week. Marrow drives can be held at national conferences, fairs, companies, colleges, and churches. When speaking to the recruiter, know the location, time, date and the type of event.

What happens at a bone marrow drive?

The object of a bone marrow drive is to test people's tissue, so they can be listed on the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. The process takes about 20 minutes per donor and is virtually painless. Each person is asked to fill out a medical history questionnaire. If they meet the necessary qualifications, a simple check swab sample is taken and then sent to a laboratory and the bone marrow type is entered into the national registry.

What Are the Chances of Finding a Match?

The odds vary widely. Approximately 80 percent of all patients do identify a potential match on their preliminary search. This number has improved significantly over the past few years, because of the overall recruitment efforts and increased racial and ethnic diversity on the Registry. Bear in mind, however, that not all of the 80 percent of patients who identify an identical donor at the preliminary search will necessarily go on to transplant. Similarly, some of the 20 percent who do not immediately have a match may subsequently identify one or be transplanted with a less or partial match.

Who do I contact if I want to sponsor a drive?

If you would like to sponsor or hold a marrow drive, please contact a Recruitment Specialist at the San Diego Blood Bank, Stem Cell Donor Center.

What if I'm already on the registry?

Thank you for making a difference in life!

If you are a possible match for a patient, we will contact you for more information. We may also ask you to come in for further compatibility testing.

Please keep us updated if your contact information changes so we may reach you quickly if you match a patient. Update your information online or call us at 1 (800) 4MY SDBB ext 8268 (1-800-469-7322 ext 8268) if:

• Your phone number, name or address changes
• You have any changes to your health
• You want to be removed from the NMDP Registry

Contact Information