We recently announced on this blog that on Tuesday, September 29 and Wednesday, September 30, a blood donation bus will visit in front of the Palaceside Building west entrance.
For the first time, the building will also set up a consultation and registration desk for bone marrow transplant donors. It will be beside blood drive reception inside the west entrance, during reception hours (10–11 a.m. and 12:15–4 p.m.).
The Tokyo Metropolitan Blood Center is advancing this initiative at the request of the Marrow Bank.
The Marrow Bank began in December 1991 as the Bone Marrow Transplant Promotion Foundation, became a public interest incorporated foundation in April 2012, and started donor registration in January 1992. Bone marrow transplant helps treat blood diseases including leukemia, but leukocyte type (HLA) must match among tens of thousands of possibilities — about one in four among siblings, but only one in hundreds to tens of thousands among unrelated donors. More registered donors give every patient a chance.
In Japan, more than about 10,000 people are said to develop leukemia and other blood diseases each year; about 2,000 patients a year need transplants through the Marrow Bank.
Registered donors reached 100,000 in August 1998, 200,000 in November 2004, 300,000 in January 2008, 400,000 in December 2011, and 453,589 as of August this year — rising steadily. New registrations vary by year; because registration ends automatically at 55, fewer new donors mean a gradual decline. Younger registrants are especially hoped for.
There have been more than 15,000 bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants (see note at end), but some matched donors cannot donate because of health, so some patients still miss their chance. More cooperation is needed to widen opportunities.
Becoming a donor naturally raises many concerns; the Marrow Bank asks anyone interested to feel free to ask questions.
We hope as many people as possible will help.
※ Peripheral blood stem cell transplant: after about five days of injections, hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow stay as stem cells rather than developing into red or white cells and enter the bloodstream, allowing collection from blood instead of bone marrow.