Finding a bone marrow match is a difficult process. Nearly half of those in need of a transplant will die before a match is found. Minority donors are especially needed because, outside of the immediate family, a patient's most likely match is someone of the same racial or ethnic group. Many minority groups are not adequately represented as marrow donors, making it difficult for many patients to find a match should a transplant be necessary. The NMDP provides one large registry that includes volunteers who have had their blood tested in order to join the national Registry.
All patients have equal access to the registry.
When a match for a patient is found, a volunteer donor is given the choice of becoming a donor for that patient. Whether a donor will donate marrow or blood stem cells is a decision that will be made by the patient's physician. The donor is then educated on the process of marrow or blood stem cell donation. About 70 of patients in need of marrow transplants must rely on the NMDP to locate a volunteer, unrelated donor. As of November 1999, the NMDP has facilitated 9,123 unrelated marrow and blood stem cell transplants worldwide.