Questions and Answers

What is the best way to find out whether I am an acceptable stem cell donor?

The best way is to become or remain a blood donor. The blood you donate undergoes a whole battery of laboratory tests to certify its quality. The conditions for being a blood donor are the same as those for being a stem cell donor (with a few exceptions). When you give blood regularly we can keep your file up to date and be sure you still qualify to donate stem cells. For various reasons, certain people are unable or unwilling to donate blood; this does not necessarily exclude them from the Stem Cell Donor Registry.

Can I be tested specifically for a member of my family who is sick?

Your relative’s transplant physician is responsible for identifying all potential stem cell donors in your family and having their HLA systems analyzed to determine if any family member is compatible. Héma-Québec only becomes involved when the physician requests a search for an unrelated donor because no compatible donor has been found in the family.

Can I be tested specifically for a friend or acquaintance who is sick?

No. It is highly unlikely that the stem cells of two friends would be compatible. The patient’s best hope is still the Stem Cell Donor Registry managed by Héma-Québec and the Canadian and international registries that are linked to it. On the international level, there are over 10,000,000 potential donors who are registered and ready to help patients in need of stem cells with no compatible relative. Our mandate is to find an unrelated compatible donor for all patients waiting for a transplant, including your friend. We accept any new donor who wants to help a patient waiting for a stem cell transplant and who meets the program’s health criteria. Only these donors can be tested.

If I agree to be registered in the Stem Cell Donor Registry, what will happen?

If you agree to be listed in the Registry, we will contact you for a blood test to determine your HLA type. Your HLA characteristics will then be entered in an online registry available to all patients waiting for stem cell transplants in Canada and elsewhere in the world. If, one day, a patient with the same HLA characteristics requires a donation, we will contact you. However, it may be a long time (months or years) before you are called upon.

What will happen if I am contacted on behalf of a compatible patient who is waiting for a stem cell transplant?

First of all, you will have to answer a new series of questions qualifying you to donate cells for this patient. We will have to do another blood test for a more detailed investigation of your HLA typing to screen for any possible incompatibility with the patient. Tests to detect infections transmissible by stem cells will also be performed. If the test results are satisfactory, a representative from our staff will meet with you to complete your evaluation in anticipation of the donation and to find out whether you are still willing to go ahead with it.

What are the next steps if I am judged able to donate stem cells to a targeted patient and I agree to make the donation?

You will meet with a transplant specialist who will explain to you in detail what the donation process involves. The physician will give you a thorough physical examination and will administer several tests: lung X-ray, electrocardiogram and blood tests. The purpose of these tests is to make sure that your health will not be jeopardized by the donation.

Can I refuse to donate my stem cells?

You can always have your name removed from the Registry for any reason whatsoever. If you are called upon for a stem cell donation, you will have to complete several steps and we will ask you to confirm your commitment to proceed with the donation. You have the right to refuse the stem cell donation at any time, BUT you must realize that preparatory treatments for the stem cell transplant require that the doctors destroy the patient’s own bone marrow with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. If you change your mind or are not able to donate, it is highly likely that the intended recipient will die. For that reason, keeping your word literally becomes a matter of life and death for the patient. You will be informed of the precise stage where your refusal to go ahead could endanger the patient’s life.

If I become a donor, will the recipient know who I am?

Your HLA characteristics are listed in the Registry under a code. The donor remains anonymous. We are committed to respecting your anonymity so as to respect your freedom of choice. Depending on the recipient’s country of origin, you may be able to find out the recipient’s identity a certain period of time after the donation, and the recipient may find out yours if you so wish.