World’s Largest Donor Registry Launches New Campaign Helping Hispanics Find Blood Stem Cell Donors

May 17, 2018

Only 30 Percent of Hispanic Patients Find a Family Member Who is a Match

Mary Halet, Director, Community Engagement (ENGLISH) and Malena Laughlin, The Icla da Silva Foundation (SPANISH)

(Minneapolis, MN, Thursday, May 17, 2018) – Be The Match manages the world’s largest and most diverse donor registry by matching patients with blood cancers and other deadly diseases with genetically matched donors, willing to donate life-saving blood stem cells.

Thousands of patients with blood cancer and other deadly diseases are desperately searching for a blood stem cell donor who could save their life. The national Be The Match Registry offers the world’s largest listing of potential donors, but the search can still be a challenge – and it’s even harder for Hispanic patients due to complex genetics and a smaller pool of potential donors.

Because genetic traits used to match donors and patients are inherited, patients are most likely to match donors who share their ethnic background. Unfortunately, only 30 percent of patients find a family member who is a match.

Nearly half of Hispanic patients are struggling to find a matching blood stem cell donor.

To encourage more Hispanic people to join the registry, Be The Match launched a new campaign, My People. My Family. Mi Sangre.

For people with life-threatening blood cancers—like leukemia and lymphoma—or other diseases, a cure exists.  Be The Match connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. People can contribute to the cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry, financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match provides patients and their families one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.

Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that matches patients with donors, educates health care professionals and conducts research so more lives can be saved. To learn more about the cure, visit BeTheMatch.org or call 1-800-MARROW-2.

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