Bone marrow is essential for life:it is what allows the production of cells which, in turn, will ensure the production of blood cells. Some patients require a bone marrow donation because their marrow no longer works or because their marrow is invaded by cancerous cells:this is the case, for example, in the case of leukemia.
To make a bone marrow donation or transplant, you must be of legal age and under the age of 51 at the time of registration. You must also be in good health and not suffer from heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc. To be registered on the file of volunteers for donation, you must then answer a health questionnaire and take a blood test. If a person waiting for a donation is compatible with the voluntary donation, the donation can then be made. You should know that a sick person has a chance in about 4 of being compatible with a sister or a brother. Otherwise, an anonymous donor is used.
Bone marrow donation can take place in two different ways. The first method consists of puncturing the marrow in the posterior bones of the pelvis, under general anesthesia in an operating room. It takes 48 hours of hospitalization. The second method is to take one or two blood samples, like a traditional blood donation, to collect bone marrow cells. Each sample takes approximately 4 hours. A medicine to collect the cells from the blood is given to the donor a few days before. It is the doctor who decides on the collection method, not the donor. Regardless of the method, bone marrow donation is safe for the donor.
