fivefriday

As I start hearing the words “bone marrow transplant” more and more, I also hear more and more ignorance as to what it actually means to be a bone marrow donor. The following information was collected directly from marrow.org, the National Marrow Donor Program website and my own personal experience undergoing a bone marrow biopsy and aspiration.

1. Bone marrow donation is NOT painful. General or local anesthesia is always used for the procedure. Donors feel no needle injections and no pain during the marrow donation process. So yes, even you can handle it.

2. Pieces of bone are NOT removed from the donor. In marrow donation, only the liquid marrow found inside the bones is collected.

3. Donating bone marrow is NOT like donating a whole organ. I often think people hear the word transplant and immediately get terrified. Only five percent or less of a donor’s marrow is needed to save a life. After donation, the body replaces the donated marrow within four to six weeks.

4. Bone marrow donation  DOES NOT involve a lengthy recovery process. There are some possible side effects of donating bone marrow, just like there are some possible side effects of having a few too many beers, a bottle or two of wine or eating an entire gallon of ice cream. These symptoms include headache, soreness, nausea, insomnia or fatigue during and generally disappear one or two days after donating.

5. Donors DO NOT pay for the donation procedure. Donors never pay for donating and are never paid to donate. All medical costs are paid by the patient’s medical insurance or by the patient, sometimes with assistance from the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

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