Donate Bone Marrow

Each year, more than 30 thousand people are diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases. A bone marrow transplant from a donor offers hope for a cure.

Hi, I’m Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at NIH.

Blood diseases can damage bone marrow, the soft tissue of the bone that houses blood cells. To try to fix the damage, doctors can transplant donated bone marrow stem cells. You may have heard that bone marrow donation can be an uncomfortable process. Today, the technique has improved so that the majority of bone marrow donations involve a process that’s similar to donating blood.

Keep in mind, 70 percent of people who need a transplant can’t find a bone marrow donor within their families. Your donation can save a life.

To learn more about bone marrow donation and how to register to become a donor, follow us @NIDDKGov. This is Dr. Griffin Rodgers.