Downloadable Guidelines:
Donor Age
If you are between the ages of 18 and 44
If you are between the ages of 18 and 44, patients especially need you. 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 cells from younger donors lead to more successful transplants. Doctors request donors in the 18-44 age group 90% of the time. Back To Top
If you are between the ages of 45 and 60
As a non-profit, Be The Match must use the funds given to them wisely. We focus on adding registry members most likely to donate to help save the most lives. If you are between the ages of 45 and 60 and want to join the registry, you’re welcome to join online with a $100 tax-deductible payment to cover the cost to join. There are many other ways to support the mission as well.
Join the registry through Be The Match
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions:
Email: info@aadp.org
Office: 510-568-3007
Toll-free: 1-800-593-6667
Donors Under 18 Years of Age
Thank you so much for your willingness to help patients search for their life saving marrow match.You must be 18 to donate because donation is a medical (for PBSC donation) or surgical (for marrow donation) procedure and you need to be legally able to give informed consent. Since donating unrelated bone marrow is a voluntary procedure, a guardian or parent cannot sign a release or give consent for someone under age 18.
There are other ways you can still help: volunteer in our office, attend an event , host a fundraiser, or spread the word. You can also set up an AADP on campus club: AADP @ High Schools
Medical Guidelines
Age
You must be between the ages of 18 and 44 to join the Be The Match Registry. Age guidelines are not meant to discriminate. They are meant to protect the safety of the donor and provide the best possible outcome for the patient. The lower age limit is based on the legal age of consent. A guardian or parent is not able to sign a release or give consent because unrelated bone marrow donation is a voluntary procedure.
The upper age limit is based on both donor and patient considerations. There is a small increase in the risk of complications from donations in older donors. There is also a slightly increased risk of blood disorders in older people. In addition, studies have shown that patients who receive donated cells from younger donors have a better chance for longterm survival.
For more information about donor eligibility and how to register: How To Register
AIDS/HIV
If you have been diagnosed with HIV (AIDS) you cannot register to become a potential volunteer donor listed on the Be The Match Registry.
Allergies
If you suffer from mild allergies to animals, the environment or medications, etc., you will be allowed to register to donate. Serious or life-threatening allergies to medications or latex will need to be carefully evaluated before you may join the Be The Match Registry as a potential volunteer donor.
Arthritis
In general, if you have mild to moderate osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis, you will be permitted to join the Be The Match Registry. Mild to moderate arthritis is defined as having little impact on daily activities, and is relieved by taking occasional medications. If you have arthritis affecting the spine, your condition will need to be carefully evaluated before you will be allowed to register to become a potential volunteer donor. If you have a severe medical arthritic condition such as rheumatoid, reactive, psoriatic and advanced stages of other types of arthritis, you will not be allowed to register.
Asthma
If you have asthma requiring regular/daily use of oral (pill) steroids, you will not be allowed to register.
Autoimmune Diseases
You are not able to join if you have an autoimmune illness that affects your whole body including:
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- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Fibromyalgia
- Multiple sclerosis
- Severe psoriasis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Addison’s disease
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
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*This list includes common autoimmune disorders, but is not a complete list of all disorders considered autoimmune.
However, you ARE able to join if you have an autoimmune condition that affects one organ system that is mild and well-controlled or you are fully recovered, including:
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- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Graves’ disease
- Guillain-barre syndrome
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Mild psoriasis
- Meniere’s disease
- Raynaud’s syndrome
- Ulcerative colitis
- Vitiligo
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Bleeding Problems
You are not able to register if you have a serious bleeding problem such as hemophilia or Factor V Leiden, or if you have ever had a blood clot, require anticoagulant medications, have aplastic anemia, or Von Willbrand’s Disease.
Blood Pressure
If you have elevated blood pressure (hypertension), you may register if your condition is well-controlled by medication or diet and if there is no associated heart disease.
Brain Injury/Surgery
If you have had a significant brain injury or had surgery in the brain tissue — even if currently recovered and asymptomatic — you are not able to register.
You are also not able to register if you have experienced more than 6 concussions in your lifetime, symptoms from a concussion that lasted more than 72 hours or a severe concussion where you were unconscious more than 1 hour.
Cancer
If you have a history of pre-cancerous cells, you will be able to register to become a potential volunteer donor. You are able to register if you have any of the following:
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- Cured, local skin cancer (basal cell or squamous cell)
- Healed melanoma in situ
- Healed cervical cancer in situ
- Healed breast cancer in situ
- Healed bladder cancer in situ
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NOTE: In situ cancer is diagnosed at a very early stage and is specifically called “in situ” or Stage 0.
You MAY register if you have had any other type of cancer (with the exception of blood cancer), if it meets ALL of the following criteria:
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- More than 5 years since diagnosis
- No recurrence or metastases
- No chemotherapy or radiation*
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*Localized bead radiation treatment for breast cancer or prostate cancer is acceptable. Radioactive iodine treatment for thyroid cancer is acceptable.
Chemical Dependency/Mental Health
If you have a history of chemical dependency and/or mental health issues you may be allowed to register. In general, if you have completed chemical dependency treatment, have maintained sobriety for at least 12 months, are currently sober and you have no physical ailments that may put you at risk during donation, you are allowed to register.
If you have a condition such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar or manic-depressive disorder, or depression, you are able to register as long as the condition is well controlled and you are also medically stable.
Mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder or delusional disorder will prevent you from registering to become a potential volunteer donor.
It is important that you are committed and able to follow through with the donation process. Guidelines used to evaluate your current chemical dependency/mental health status are meant to protect your safety and well-being and provide the best possible outcome for the patient.
Chronic Neck, back, hip, or spine pain
Common back problems such as sprains, strains and aches may not interfere with a bone marrow donation. However, you are not able to join if you have on-going, chronic, significant pain areas of the neck, back, hip, or spine that:
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- Interferes with your daily activities AND
- Requires daily prescription pain medication OR
- Requires regular physical therapy OR
- Requires regular chiropractor treatments
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If you have significant back problems and/or any questions regarding your medical condition, contact your local donor center.
Cold or Flu
Recent infections such as colds or flu will not prevent you from registering to become a potential volunteer donor.
Depression
If you have a history of depression that is stable and well-controlled, you may register to become a potential volunteer donor.
Diabetes
If you have diabetes, a careful evaluation of your current health status will be necessary. In general, if your diabetes is well controlled by either diet or medications (other than insulin), you will be allowed to register. If you require insulin to treat diabetes or if you have diabetes-related serious health issues such as kidney, heart, nerve or eye disease, you will not be allowed to register. If you have questions regarding your diabetes, contact your local donor center or call (800) MARROW2 (1-800-627-7692).
Epilepsy
You may register if you have well-controlled epilepsy and have had no seizures in the past year.
Heart Disease/Stroke
In general, if you have heart disease you cannot become a potential volunteer donor. This includes a past heart attack, any history of angioplasty, bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery or pacemakers. However, some heart conditions such as congenital defects surgically corrected in childhood, mitral valve prolapse (MVP) that is well controlled, or successful cardiac ablation will not prevent you from registering to become a donor. Your situation will be evaluated on an inidividual basis.
If you have history of a stroke, a transient ischemic attack (TIA), an intracranial hemorrhage (epidural, subdural, subarachnoid), or other significant brain injury or surgery in the brain tissue — even if currently recovered with no symptoms — you are not able to register.
Hepatitis
You will be allowed to join the Be The Match Registry if you have:
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- Received a vaccine to prevent hepatitis
- History of fully-recovered hepatitis A
- Close or intimate contact with someone with active hepatitis B or C in the past year
- Possible exposure to hepatitis B or C in the past year
- History of jaundice due to mononucleosis or cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection
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If you have the following, you cannot join the registry:
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- Diagnosed with hepatitis B or C
- Been told you had a positive confirmatory test for hepatitis B or C
- Been told you are a carrier of hepatitis B or C (also known as a “chronic” infection)
- History of hepatitis or yellow jaundice (after age 10) without a known cause
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If you have questions regarding hepatitis and registration, contact us at 1 (800) MARROW2 (1-800-627-7692).
More information about hepatitis and how it is transmitted may be found at the Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site at: Learn More About Hepatitis
Hospitalization/Surgery/Trauma
In general, you may register to become a potential volunteer donor if you have been hospitalized, had surgery or been injured and are fully recovered. See Heart Disease/Stroke, Back/Neck/Hip/Spine, and/or Kidney Problems, if applicable, regarding surgery. Back To Top
Immunizations
If you have received a common immunization, you may register to become a potential volunteer donor. If you have received an investigational vaccine, however, your situation must be evaluated. Some immunizations (such as smallpox) will require assessment if you are selected as a potential donor.
Kidney Problems
You cannot register if you have serious or chronic kidney problems such as polycystic kidney disease or glomerulonephritis. If you have had a kidney removed due to disease, you cannot register. However, if you donated a kidney to another person and are now fully recovered from that surgery, you are able to register. You are able to register if you have a history of kidney stones.
Liver Disease
If you have a serious liver disease such hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis or Wilson’s disease, you are not able to register. You are able to register if you have Gilbert’s syndrome.
Lyme Disease/Tick-Borne Disease
If you have fully recovered from a tick-borne disease such as Lyme disease, Ehrlichiosis, human anaplasmosis, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, you may register to become a potential volunteer donor. If you have chronic Lyme disease, you may not register. The other tick-borne diseases mentioned are not believed to have chronic forms (in humans). Back To Top
Medications
Treatment with some medications may affect your suitability to register as a potential volunteer donor. Most often it is not the actual drug itself but the condition requiring the medication that would determine your suitability. If you are currently taking medication(s), you may want to contact your local donor center to discuss the medication(s) and underlying condition.
Organ or Tissue Transplant
If you have received human tissues, such as bone (including bone powder for dental procedures), ligaments, tendons, skin and corneas, you may be allowed to register to become a potential volunteer donor, depending on the reason for the procedure.
If you received any of the following types of transplants you may not register:
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- Human organs such as heart, lung, liver or kidney
- Marrow or blood-forming cells
- Xenotransplant (live tissues from animals)
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Piercing (Body, Skin, Ear)
You may register to become a potential volunteer donor if you have had ear or body piercing.
Pregnancy
If you are pregnant you may register for the Be The Match Registry. However, you are not able to serve as a donor until you are fully recovered from the delivery or cesarean section. Blood-forming cells cannot be collected at any time during pregnancy.
If you are currently pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, you may want to consider donating your baby’s umbilical cord blood after your baby is born.
To see if this is an option at your hospital, see Where to Donate Cord Blood.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
If you have or have had a sexually transmitted disease such as herpes, HPV, chlamydia or syphilis you are eligible to register for the Be The Match Registry. See AIDS/HIV and/or Hepatitis, if applicable.
Tattoos
You may register if you have received a tattoo.
Travel/Malaria Risk
You are allowed to register regardless of where you have traveled. If you are selected as a potential donor, recent travel to areas at risk for such infections such as malaria or mad cow disease will be evaluated.
Tuberculosis
You may join if you have a history of successfully treated tuberculosis. Back To Top
Weight Guidelines
