The Need for Donors

Thousands of patients with leukemia and other life-threatening diseases need a bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant and depend on the Be The Match Registry^SM to find a match — someone like you.

 We all have the power to help, the power to give hope.

Finding a match: The basics

For a successful transplant, a patient needs a matching donor. Special testing determines whether a patient and a bone marrow donor or umbilical cord blood are a good match. The closer the match, the better for the patient.

Race and ethnicity matter

Because the markers used in matching are inherited, patients are more likely to match someone from their own race or ethnicity. Adding more donors and cord blood units from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds to the Be The Match Registry increases the likelihood that all patients will find the match they need.

Your heritage can make all the difference. If you are from one of the following communities, you are especially encouraged to join the Be The Match Registry or donate umbilical cord blood:

• Black and African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian, including South Asian 
• Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
• Hispanic and Latino
• Multiple race

A match for every patient. Hope for every family.

We have a registry of millions. But we still do not have matched bone marrow donors or umbilical cord blood for all patients, especially those from racially and ethnically diverse communities.

We need more people to join the registry and expectant parents to donate umbilical cord blood. With your help, more people will receive a transplant. And more families will have a future filled with hope.

Be the one to give hope.

• Join the Be The Match Registry – Take the first step to become a bone marrow donor.
• Give a financial contribution – Make transplants a reality for patients.
• Stay in touch — Sign up for e-mail on how you can help.
• Engage your organization – Partner with us in a program that saves lives.
• Grow the registry – Individuals and families can make a difference.
• Donate umbilical cord blood at your baby's birth.