Register as a Donor

A cheek swab is all it takes…
If you would like to register today to be a donor and are in the US and between 18-44, join now by going to the Be The Match website and using promo code: mixedmarrow.

You can also check out our calendar page to find an upcoming drive near you.

If you are between the ages of 45-60 you can still register at a cost. According to Be The Match, “Doctors choose donors based on what is best for their patient. When more than one potential donor is a good HLA match for a patient, doctors will also consider other factors, including the donor’s age. Research shows that younger donors provide the greatest chance for transplant success. Eighteen- to 44-year-olds are called to donate 90% of the time. To most responsibly provide stewardship of our registry and our funds, we must focus on adding registry members most likely to be called to donate to a patient. Those between the ages of 45 and 60 who want to join the registry are welcome to do so online with a $100 tax-deductible payment.” You can do so here.

Already a donor in the US, but not sure if your info is current? Update your information with Be The Match here.

*Email us at donate@mixedmarrow.org if you have questions

Donation Process
There are three types of donations that can help patients with blood diseases, Bone Marrow Donation, Peripheral Blood Cell (PBSC) Donation and Umbilical Cord Blood Donation.

Bone Marrow Donation is a painless out-patient surgical procedure where liquid marrow is removed from the donor’s pelvic bones with a needle. General or local anesthesia is applied and the only discomfort the donor endures is soreness in the area post surgery. Donors do not lose anything permanently from this procedure, bone marrow replenishes within a few weeks.

PBSC Donation is a nonsurgical procedure where blood is removed from the donor’s arm, it is separated in a machine where certain blood-forming cells are taken and the remaining blood is returned through the other arm. Like marrow donation, your cells replenish and normal levels return in weeks of donation.

Cord Blood Donation
Pregnant or thinking of starting a new family? Besides registering adult bone marrow donors, Mixed Marrow also sets to educate about the benefits of cord blood donation.

*The video above (from UK site Mosaic Science) shows how cord blood is collected and stored.
For more info and if your hospital participates (US locations only), click here.

With many minority patients unable to find a suitable adult donor match, many doctors may choose to search the public cord blood bank. About 90% of umbilical cords are currently disposed of as medical waste…lifesaving cells that can cure a hard-to-match patient are many times thrown away!

For Members of the US Military
Thank you for your service!
U.S. military personnel are asked to register for the Be The Match Registry through the Department of Defense (DoD) using one of these options below. Military personnel is defined as active duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents, reservists, retirees, National Guard, Coast Guard and DoD civilian personnel.
Please check here on how and where you can donate!