Miguel Concepción Class of 2009 UMass Medical School Educational Presentation for Middle & High School Students

What Do You Know?

Bone Marrow It is a spongy matrix located in the center of many bones. It contains stem cells. It is the factory where all the cellular components of blood are made. University Healthcare an.htm

Problems with Bone Marrow There are many diseases that affect the bone marrow such as:  Cancers (i.e. Leukemia & Lymphomas)  Genetic Disorders ( i.e. SCID) Many of these diseases are often fatal! BM transplant may be the last line of defense.

BM Transplantation A bone marrow transplant replaces a patient's unhealthy stem cells in the bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a volunteer donor.

Is Blood Transfusion the Same?? 2 completely different things! Blood is a finished product that is constantly replenished every 3 months. Only offers a temporary symptomatic fix. By providing stem cells, a BM transplant gives one the ability to constantly renew blood cells.

Bone Marrow Registry Database Ages Buccal Swab obtained HLA cell type determined Donors must have similar cell types as recipient in order to prevent bad reactions. Information is confidentially put into the national registry.

Necessity of the Registry There remains a low number of participants in the registry. It is difficult for a recipient to find a complete match; the more people in the registry the higher the likelihood of matching. Compounded Problem Patients are more likely to match with someone in their ethnic group; however, there are even fewer underrepresented people in the registry.

NMDP Registry by Race Facts and Figures, The National Marrow Donor Program. Creating Connections. Saving Lives.

The Process Donor will be contacted if he/she matches the patient’s cell type and the process is explained. Donor may still back out. If committed, the donor will meet the medical team and the method of stem cell extraction is determined. Bone Marrow Stem Cell or Peripheral Blood Stem Cell

Marrow Collection Surgical day procedure Marrow extracted from pelvis (hip) using a hollow needle Anesthesia is used to minimize pain. Copyright © 2005 Nucleus Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

Marrow Collection Most patients will go home the same day. Many experience lower back pain and stiffness for several days. The marrow stem cells will completely regenerate in 4-6 weeks.

Peripheral Blood Stem Cell (PBSC) Allows collection of stem cells through the blood rather than bone A drug must be taken a week prior to extraction to induce the stem cells An apheresis process is used in extraction. w_donor_5_nmdp_steps.htm

PSBC Collection The whole process may take several hours. Side effects include headache and muscle aches during a week prior to collection.

Summary The whole donation process will not cost the donor anything; it will be covered by the recipient’s insurance. BM transplant is a life-saving procedure that offers hope to many afflicted with certain diseases.

Questions?

Contact Information Caitlin Raymond International Registry Located Here In Worcester, Ma National Marrow Donor Program ml ml