Donation Process

When you register with DKMS, you are entered into our database and are anonymously listed on the national Be The Match Registry, operated by the NMDP. The registry is searched daily by doctors looking to find a match for their patients. If you are found to be a match, here's what the process is like:

1) If you are a match...
A DKMS representative will contact you to let you know you are a match, and will walk you through the entire donation process.

2) Donate, in one of two ways:
There are two ways to donate, the donation method is determined by the patient's doctor:

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Cells are collected via the bloodstream. On the day of collection the donor’s blood is then removed from one arm and passed through a machine that separates out the blood stem cells. The remaining blood is returned to the donor through the other arm. Click here for the full details. Bone Marrow Extraction Marrow cells are collected from the backside of the pelvic bone using a special syringe. This is a 1-2 hour, outpatient, surgical procedure. The donor is discharged from the hospital at the end of the day. Click here for more information.

3) Afterwards...
After you've completed the donation process, expect to feel the happiness that only saving a life can bring. Donors tell us it is among the most rewarding experiences in their lives. Click here to read what others have said.