Myths and Misunderstandings

MYTH: You can only donate to a member of your own family.

FACT: Only 30% of patients needing a transplant will find a matching donor from within their own family, generally from a sibling. Unrelated donors count for the majority of bone marrow donations.

MYTH: You have to be the same blood group as the patient to be a matching donor.

FACT: Matching is performed by tissue type not blood group. However, some patients do take on the blood group of their donor, post transplant.

MYTH: Donating bone marrow is painful.

FACT: Donors will feel only some slight discomfort after their donation. Some have compared it to a hard game of football or a day spent gardening.

MYTH: Bone Marrow Donation always requires surgery

FACT: The truth is there are two ways to donate. As a matter of fact most donations do not involve surgery at all. Depending on the patient’s doctor request you may either do (PBSC) donation, which is non-surgical or marrow donation which is a surgical procedure.

MYTH: Donating bone marrow involves removing bone from your body.

FACT Bone Marrow is an aqueous pulpy tissue found inside the long bones. Bone marrow can be compared to a factory where red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are made. No actual bones or part of a bone is removed from the body.

MYTH: Donating bone marrows involves a lengthy recovery period.

FACT:During the donation PBSC donors may experience headaches, nausea and fatigue.Symptoms usually disappear one or two days after donating. Harvest donors can expect to feel fatigued and some discomfort their lower back. Harvest donors can also expect to be back to work, school and other activities within one to ten days.