Your donation
Prerequisites for your donation
For many patients, a donation is the last chance to live. The success of the blood stem cell donation depends strongly on the patient’s state of health. On average, the chances of recovery are between 40 and 70%.
In light of this, we treat every single donation with the greatest respect. With our long experience your well-being is in the foreground of our daily work!
Your donation is in good hands.
Before your donation, Cellex will check whether you are eligible to donate. This means that the preliminary examination will determine whether you are able to make a donation. Only if we determine that you are healthy and there are no risks to your health or to the patient, you will proceed.
If you have any questions before or after the donation, our medical team is at your disposal around the clock (+49 162 7162560).
A blood stem cell donation is as simple as that
Types of donation
There are two different types of donation – blood stem cell donation where the cells are collected by apheresis or a bone marrow donation.
In principle, you are free to choose one of these types of donation and we will of course always try to fulfil your wish for a preferred type of donation. However, depending on the patient, it may be preferable or necessary to use a certain method for medical reasons. In principle, you should therefore be prepared for both types of collection.
However, it may also be the case that you are only suitable as a donor for one of the collection methods.
In the majority of donations, the blood stem cells are collected. The stem cells are taken from the bone marrow where they are inherited by of a so-called peripheral stem cell donation. And that’s very simple!
Your stem cells are in the bone marrow. In order for them to be removed, the stem cells must be flushed into the blood prior to the donation. To do this, you must inject the hormone-like preparation (G-CSF) under your skin or have it injected by a medical specialist during the five days prior to cell donation.
G-CSF is the granulocyte colony stimulating factor. The preparation is a cytokine, a messenger substance that also occurs naturally in the body and influences the formation of blood in your body. It becomes active whenever the body has an infection and the “defense cells” have to be mobilized. The injection of the preparation causes the stem cells found in the bone marrow to enter the bloodstream.
The washed-out and later-removed stem cells reproduce within a few weeks.
During the mobilization of stem cells, flu-like symptoms may occur as possible side effects, especially bone and limb pain. These can be treated with a mild painkiller such as paracetamol.
After your arrival at the Cellex Collection Center, a short health check will take place. Your donation will then be made with the help of an apheresis machine, which separates the blood into its components by centrifugal force and thus enables the collection of the stem cells from the blood. For this, a venous access is placed on both arms, which is connected to the apheresis machine via a sterile disposable system.
Your blood leaves the body on one side, flows through the machine, and is returned to your body on the other side via the second access.
During the process, a small part of your blood, the stem cells that are important for the patient, is absorbed. In order to avoid blood clotting, an anticoagulant is used that resembles citric acid and is rapidly broken down by the body. However, this can cause tingling in the mouth and lip area or, for example, in the fingers for a short time. These complaints can be quickly eliminated by taking calcium.
Here you can find all relevant information about peripheral stem cell collection for download.
The stem cells are taken from the bone marrow where they are inherited. A bone marrow blood mixture is taken from the iliac crest under general anesthesia. This procedure is used for about 20% of all donations.
The day before the bone marrow collection, you will be admitted to the clinic. There is a welcoming talk, a physical examination, and a blood test. The next morning, bone marrow collection is performed under general anesthesia.
For the donation, you will be turned on your stomach and two doctors will puncture your iliac crest on the right and left side with a stable hollow needle.
As a rule, two small skin incisions (approx. 0.5 cm) through which the pelvic bone is punctured several times are sufficient for the donation. Your bone is punctured with the hollow needle, then a syringe is placed on the needle and the bone marrow blood mixture is removed.
The exact amount to be removed is determined by the cell count required for the patient. But there is an upper limit that is determined by your weight as a donor. In principle, a maximum withdrawal quantity of 1.5 liters is not exceeded. The bone marrow removed corresponds to about 5% of the total bone marrow.
The removed cells reproduce within two to four weeks.
After about an hour, you’ll be taken to the recovery room. There you lie on your back – to ensure that the puncture points continue to be squeezed well, a sand bag is pushed under each of the puncture points.
You may get up during the day, but you will have to stay another night in the clinic for observation. In total, you are in the clinic for about 48 hours.
After the collection, there can be complaints at the collection sites, which are often compared with a sore muscle or a bruise on the lower back. These can last up to seven days and can be treated very well with a painkiller (e.g. paracetamol).
Here you can find all relevant information about bone marrow collection for download.
Sometimes patients relapse prematurely after a stem cell transplantation. These patients often require the administration of donor lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are more aggressive cells that have the task of destroying cancer cells and strengthening the patient’s immune system.
The collection of donor lymphocytes is like a peripheral stem cell donation, but without prior injection of G-CSF. Your donation will also be carried out with an apheresis machine, which separates the blood into its individual components by centrifugal force and thus enables the collection of the corresponding cells from the blood. For this purpose, a venous access is placed on both arms, which is connected to the apheresis machine via a sterile disposable system.
Your blood then leaves the body on one side, flows through the cell separator, and is returned to your body on the other side via the second access.
The donor lymphocytes are usually frozen (cryopreserved) and later given to the patient.
Here you will find all relevant information on unstimulated leukapheresis for download.
The search for a suitable stem cell donor for a person suffering from leukemia begins in the immediate family. The tissue characteristics relevant for a donation (HLA characteristics) are determined half each by the parents. The probability that siblings are a suitable donor, (have identical characteristics) is approximately. 25 %. It is also possible that only half-matching family members, so-called haploidentical, can be potential donors.
For questions of any kind, we always have an open ear and our emergency telephone is available around the clock (+49 162 7162560).
A donation for a family member is different from a donation for a stranger. As a relative, you are close to the patient and have probably witnessed their ordeal. In such a situation, of course, one is usually happy to be able to help. However, the perceived pressure is often also higher and worries and tensions can arise, e.g. because one fears that one’s own donation might not heal the family member.
If no suitable donor is available within the family, an unrelated donor can be found in 80 % of the cases in national or international donor registries.
The Cellex medical team is aware of the special situation you find yourself in as a family donor. We take your concerns very seriously and we want to make your donation as pleasant and uncomplicated as possible.
We take care of all organizational and scheduling issues so you can concentrate on your donation.
Donor FAQs
We at Cellex understand that you still might have many questions. We have listed the most frequently asked questions for you here in a clear and easy-to-find list.
Frequently asked questions
What is the likelihood that I will be considered as a donor?
Only one in one hundred registered donors will be asked for a donation after registration. Before donating, your HLA typing will be reconfirmed and additional tests will be performed. Here you are checked once again to see whether you are really a suitable donor and whether there are no contradiction against a donation from a medical point of view.
What is the likelihood that “my patient” will be cured by the donation?
The success of a stem cell transplantation depends strongly on the patient’s state of health. On average, the chances of recovery are between 40 and 70%.
Am I the only person eligible for the donation?
In principle, it is possible that several people are a potential matching donor because of their genetic characteristics. The chances to find an unrelated donor vary from 1:20,000 to 1 to several million.
Can I choose the donation method?
In principle, you are free to choose one of the two donation types. Of course, we will try to fulfill your request for a preferred type of donation. However, it is possible that as a donor you will only be considered for one of the two donation types. Which method is preferred or even necessary for medical reasons usually depends on the desease of the recipient. In principle, you should be prepared for both types of donation.
Can I withdraw my promised donation?
Your donation is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. However, if you decide to withdraw your consent, this can have fatal consequences for the recipient. The patient has been intensively prepared the transplantation. The diseased hematopoietic system is shut down by means of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. Without the preservation of your stem cells, the patient has no chance to survive. We therefore ask you to carefully consider whether you are willing to donate. The Cellex team is at your disposal around the clock for questions, fears, and worries.
What if I cannot/do not want to set the G-CSF syringes myself?
It’s no big deal if you don’t manage to do the preparatory syringes yourself. You can ask a friend or acquaintance to do that. If that’s not possible, we’ll send you a nursing service. They come to your home twice a day in the morning and evening and give you the injection.
What is the exact daily routine for apheresis?
On the day of the apheresis, you will arrive at our Collection Center between 7:30 and 8 a.m. After the welcome, you will be called by the responsible nurse to go to the apheresis room.
During the three to five hour extraction, you can watch a movie, listen to music, or read a book. Only one of your arms will be restricted in movement. You can also go to the toilet during collection. At the end of the collection, you can inform your escort by telephone about the expected pickup time.
After the donation, you should additional 30 minutes so we can check your fitness and answer any questions you might have. During this waiting period, you will receive an electronic medical questionnaire that you fill out and hand in to us. We will also give you the brochure with information on the contact between donor and recipient. In the afternoon, we will call you and inform you if a second donation is necessary the next day. If that’s not the case, you can go home.
Will I have pain during or after the donation?
With the peripheral stem cell donation, the stem cells are removed from the bloodstream. To increase the number of stem cells, you have to inject a so-called growth factor under your skin for four days each morning and evening. During this time, flu-like symptoms may occur as possible side effects, especially bone or limb pain. However, these can be treated with a mild painkiller (e.g. paracetamol).
For the actual collection, you are connected to the apheresis device by placing a venous access on both arms. The blood now leaves your body on one side, flows through the machine, and is returned to your body on the other side through the second access. A small part of the blood – the stem cells are collected.
An anticoagulant is used to prevent the blood from coagulating during the procedure. This substance can cause short-term symptoms such as tingling in the mouth, lips, or fingers. However, these complaints can be quickly remedied with calcium. In our experience, after the donation you will be exhausted but not in pain.
During bone marrow collection, stem cells are taken from the bone marrow under general anesthesia. No preparation with the growth factor is necessary for this type of sampling. You won’t feel any pain during the extraction. After the collection, you might have some back pain, often compared with sore muscles or a bruise in the lower back, which can last up to seven days. You can already get up on the same dayafter the donation.
How long am I unable to work?
In the case of peripheral stem cell donation, you are usually only unable to work on the days of collection. However, if – contrary to expectations – you are unable to work for a longer period of time, your family doctor can certify this.
As a rule, bone marrow collection is associated with a 48-hour hospital stay (including day of admission and discharge). Most patients are unable to work for three to five days after bone marrow collection.
May I bring an accompanying person?
Yes, you may bring an escort to the donation. This will be discussed when you come for the physical examanation.
When will I know how “my patient” is doing?
You have to be patient if you want to know how your recipient is doing. After three months at the earliest, you can ask the responsible donor center about the state of health of your patient. In some clinics and countries, it may take some time and some countries do not allow any contact between donor and patient.
May I meet “my patient”?
Please discuss this question with your donor center.
Glossary for the release letter
Dear Donor,
Your blood will be tested several times when you donate blood stem cells or lymphocytes. You will be informed of your results in the release letter for the blood stem cell donation.
We will send the release letter either directly to you or to the register. If you do not receive a release letter, please contact your register!
Important for you: if a laboratory value collected by us is conspicuous and has immediate medical relevance for you, you will be informed immediately before you receive your release letter.
Some laboratory values may deviate from the norm without being in acute need of clarification. However, they may later have a relevance or simply need to be controlled. Such deviations will be mentioned in the release letter as information for the family doctor or discussed with you personally on the day of the donation.
To help you better understand and interpret your release letter, we have created this glossary for you. Please note that some deviations from standard values are quite normal: 2.5% of all laboratory values are always above or below these drawn limits. Whether such a deviation is relevant or not is only determined in the synopsis of the findings.
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