Blood cancer Stem cell donation can save lives

Blood cancer: Stem cell donation can save lives

05/28/2014

More than 900,000 people suffer from blood cancer every year. With a new day of action, the topic should always be brought to the attention on 28 May. Even stars like Sarah Connor advertise on „World Blood Cancer Day“ to stem cell donors.

New international day of action
The German Bone Marrow Donor File (DKMS) wants to take a new campaign day internationally against blood cancer (leukemia). In the future, the „World Blood Cancer Day“ be committed annually worldwide on May 28th. Alexander Schmidt, Chief Executive of DKMS, said: „The fight against the disease can only be won internationally.“ The aim is to make the disease more public in the public. Worldwide, about 917,000 people are diagnosed with blood cancer.

Prominent support
Support also comes from celebrities, such as the singer Sarah Connor. She explained at a press conference: „Blood cancer is curable, many patients can be given a chance by a stem cell donation - a registration is the first step.“ Because stem cells can not be transplanted until the tissue characteristics of donor and patient match, more people should have a saliva sample registered in the file. The DKMS is internationally mediated. With over four million registered donors worldwide, this file is the largest of its kind. More than three million potential donors come from Germany.

Worldwide fight against blood cancer
„We want to set a signal for the worldwide fight against blood cancer. And urge every human to do so“, says DKMS Managing Director Sandra Bothur. The day of action was deliberately set to May 28, since the DKMS was founded in 1991 on this date. A red ampersand „Ampersand“ (&) is the symbol of the international action day. It stands for joint action against the disease.

Donors are usually fit again the same day
The presenter Nina Moghaddam has also been involved with the DKMS for years. She pointed out that many people have reservations over ignorance: „They confuse bone marrow with spinal cord and fear that they may be paraplegic after the procedure.“ The stem cell production takes place either via the peripheral stem cell donation from the bloodstream or at the bone marrow donation via a removal from the iliac crest of the donor. „Mostly you are fit again the same day“, so Moghaddam.

Any healthy adult can become a donor
In principle, every healthy adult aged 18 to 55 can become a stem cell donor. However, as the company informs, people who are suffering or have suffered from a chronic illness or other serious illness or who regularly take medication should consult the DKMS. Some important exclusion criteria are, for example, diseases of the cardiovascular system such as myocardial infarction, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cancer or severe kidney disease. (Sb)