Bone Marrow Donation Myths vs. Facts

MYTH
Bone marrow donation is painful.

FACT
General or regional anesthesia is always used for this procedure. Donors feel no needle injections and no pain during the marrow donation process. Afterwards, most donors feel some pain in the lower back for a few days or longer.

MYTH
All bone marrow donations involve surgery.

FACT
There are two ways to donate. The majority of donations do not involve surgery. The patient's doctor most commonly requests a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical and outpatient. If the patient's doctor requests marrow, marrow donation is a surgical procedure, usually outpatient.

MYTH
Bone marrow stem cells are taken from the spinal cord.

FACT
In a bone marrow donation, stem cells are collected from the back of the pelvic bone (not the spinal cord) using a needle while the donor is under anesthesia.

In a peripheral blood stem cell donation, the stem cells are collected directly from the bloodstream.

MYTH
Pieces of the bone are removed from the donor.

FACT
Pieces of bone are not removed from the donor. In marrow donation, only the liquid marrow found inside the bones is collected. In a PBSC donation, cells are collected from the bloodstream in a process similar to donating plasma.

MYTH
Donating bone marrow is dangerous and weakens the donor.

FACT
Though no medical procedure is without risk, there are rarely any long-term effects from donating. Only five percent or less of a donor's marrow is needed to save a life. After donation, the body replaces the donated marrow within four to six weeks.

DKMS educates donors, answer questions every step of the way, and follows up with donors after donation.

MYTH
Bone marrow donation involves a lengthy recovery process.

FACT
PBSC donors take the drug filgrastim for five days leading up to donation and may have symptoms such as headache, bone or muscle pain, nausea, insomnia or fatigue during this time. These symptoms nearly always disappear one or two days after donating, and the donor is back to normal.

Marrow donors can expect to feel fatigue, some soreness or pressure in their lower back and perhaps some discomfort walking. Marrow donors can expect to be back to work, school and other activities within one to seven days. The average time for all symptoms to disappear is 21 days.

MYTH
Donors have to pay for the registration and the donation procedure.

FACT
There is no cost to the donor to donate. When a donor is matched with a patient, the patient's insurance, the National Marrow Donor Program which operates the Be The Match Registry or DKMS will pay the costs (including any travel, meals, lodging expenses that may be necessary). A donor’s insurance, will never be used. The best gift you could give is donating, so we don't ask you to pay.

Although a donor never pays to donate, many people do contribute toward the donor registration fee when they sign-up as a bone marrow donor.