Hoxworth is one of the 100 NMDP coordinating centers throughout the United States which recruit and educate potential marrow donors. Marrow is produced inside the larger bones of the body. It makes blood cells and even looks like blood, but it is a little thicker. It is also being used experimentally to treat the blood disease sickle cell anemia. Unfortunately, nearly 70 percent of patients in need cannot find suitably matched marrow donors within their families.
Many patients die before finding a matched donor.
As the number of potential marrow donors grows, so do the chances of finding a match. While all donors are needed, there is a critical need for minority volunteer donors. A majority of the volunteers on the National Marrow Donor Program Registry are Caucasian. Because tissue types are inherited, and some types are more common to certain racial or ethnic groups, a patient's best chance of finding a match is within his or her ethnic and racial group.