This meeting, on the center stage of the Training Auditorium where I first registered to become a donor, is a happy ending to this wonderful opportunity of helping save someone's life. Established in 1986, the NMDP assists patients in their search for compatible unrelated marrow donors. The NMDP operates through a network of hospitals, donor centers and recruitment groups that assist the NMDP in recruitment efforts. Currently, the NMDP Registry contains information on nearly 3.8 million volunteer potential donors. Only a small blood sample is required to register to become a potential marrow donor.
Bone marrow is requested at a later time when a compatible match has been determined.
Marrow compatibility between donor and recipient is an important part of a successful marrow transplant. We inherit our particular marrow characteristics in a similar way to how we inherit, skin, hair and eye color. For this reason, a patient has about a 25 percent chance of finding a match with a brother or sister. For patients without a compatible sibling, the NMDP assists their search for an unrelated match. Funding for the drive is being provided by the American Red Cross and by various KSC Contractor Organizations.