Hospital's World Cancer Day initiative: Signing up with DKMS to aid blood cancer patients' survival
On Tuesday, February 4, Solingen Municipal Hospital is organizing a stem cell donor registration event in collaboration with DKMS, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The event takes place in the hospital cafeteria on level U2, and no prior registration is required.
The registration process is straightforward and open to generally healthy individuals between the ages of 17 and 55. The first step involves a quick and easy initial swab collection from the mouth, which takes just a few minutes. This swab is used to join the DKMS stem cell register and is a significant step towards becoming a potential lifesaver.
The registration process includes several steps:
- Eligibility Check: Potential donors confirm they meet the age and health criteria (17-55 years, general good health).
- Consent and Information: Donors receive information about stem cell donation and provide consent to join the register.
- Mouth Swab Sample: A simple, painless mouth swab is taken to collect cells for tissue typing.
- Registration: The sample and personal details are entered into the DKMS database.
If a patient's need matches the characteristics of the donor, DKMS will make the connection, and the donor will be contacted for further medical tests and to discuss the actual donation procedure. The most common stem cell donation method, peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection, is somewhat similar to donating blood and is only carried out after a match is found and the donor is committed.
Young people can help sustainably as potential donors due to their long availability, good physical conditions, and potential to improve stem cell transplant results. A stem cell donation is the last chance of survival for many blood cancer patients, and every 12 minutes in Germany, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer. Every 27 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with blood cancer.
The goal of the action is to give people with blood cancer new hope on World Cancer Day. The transplanted stem cells are only valid for up to 72 hours after collection and are quickly transported by courier to the recipient and administered there. The multiplication of the transplanted cells until the production of a new blood-forming system usually takes two to three weeks. The migration of cells into the bone marrow takes only a few minutes.
Participants in the registration will take part in a swab from the mouth and answer a few questions about age and health. By joining the DKMS stem cell register, you could be a beacon of hope for someone in need, offering them a second chance at life. So, come and register on February 4, and help make a difference in the fight against blood cancer.
- The registration event at Solingen Municipal Hospital encourages generally healthy individuals aged 17-55 to join the DKMS stem cell donor register, taking a crucial step in potentially saving a life of someone battling a medical condition like cancer.
- By participating in the swab collection process during the stem cell donor registration event, young people can contribute significantly to the health and wellness sector, providing a potential lifeline for those diagnosed with blood cancer, who may not have many other options left.
