How much do you know about stem cell donation?

I was raised in the Jewish tradition to believe that “whoever saves a life, saves the world” (Sanhedrin 4:5). 🌎 I joined the stem cell registry, because it’s such an easy way to make an impact and potentially save someone’s life. 🥰

Since joining the registry, I was most affected by the factual ignorance surrounding stem cell donation. While doing my statistics assignment, I came up with the idea to post a questionnaire on my Snapchat story to simply see how prevalent the lack of information regarding stem cell donation is amongst my friends and family 🤓. Most of the people who filled out this survey are science students, and it was extremely insightful to see the results! 😳 The highest score achieved was a 5/10 and the average score achieved was a 3/10.

For those wanting the answers, here are the results ✅

Where can stem cells be harvested from?

ANSWER: peripheral blood.

The donor's spinal cord is unaffected in the collection of stem cells. Peripheral blood stem cell donation is a non-surgical procedure done in an outpatient clinic. For a bone marrow donation, stem cells are taken from the iliac crest which sits at the back of the pelvic bone.

You have a _____ chance of your stem cells matching your brother or sister's?

ANSWER: Around 25%. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧

This is another reason why the world needs more stem cell donors!

Right now, _____% of all registered stem cell donors are white, even though roughly _____% of the world's population is NOT white.

ANSWER: 70 and 88, respectively.

What percent of stem cell donations in Canada are from international donors?

ANSWER: 80%.

We need all registries around the world to reflect how diverse their countries are. Let's get swabbing! 🌎👊✊🏻✊🏿

When you register to become a stem cell donor, can you donate to a specific person?

ANSWER: Nope!

As a donor, you should be willing to save anyone’s life 💞

Stem cell transplants can treat more than _____ diseases and disorders. Including: aplastic anemia, leukemia, and lymphoma.

ANSWER: 80

Saving lives is serious business 👍🏼 A small portion of your stem cells could give someone a second chance at life! 🤩

True or false: if you donate a baby's cord blood to a public bank, it will be available to any patient in need of a stem cell transplant around the world.

ANSWER: True

The cord blood collection process is safe, pain-free, and poses no risk to the mom or the baby! 👶🏾

True or false: Every Canadian, regardless of their ethnicity, deserves an equal fighting chance.

ANSWER: True.

Ethnicity shouldn't dictate who lives or dies.

If we want to combat these health disparities, we need more people of underrepresented ethnic groups to become stem cell donors! 👊🏿 Everyone deserves an equal chance. Let’s fight this injustice together! 💪🏾 For my survey takers: if so many of you knew the answer, why haven't you signed up and joined the registry yet!?

Now go save some lives and join the stem cell registry! ❤️💛💜🧡💙