HealEmru

The most likely bone marrow donor for any recipient is a person of the same or similar ethnic background In Emru's case this would be someone of African or Caribbean descent.

Why don't people register to donate bone marrow?

Reason 1: People don't know about the registry.

Reason 2: People who know about the registry think that bone marrow donation is extremely painful, risky, time-consuming, and actual bone is extracted or that marrow is extracted from the base of the spine (all false).

Reason 3: People don't know it is easy to register, or they don't know how.

Reason 4: People do not realize how many are required to create a healthy donor pool, and how many people currently make up the registry with a similar heritage to their own.

Reason 5: People think it is not their problem or they are not in a group that requires additional donors.

Reason 6: People think most people will find a match within their family. Actually 70% rely on an unrelated donor.

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