How long does the path to donation take?
If you turn out to be the best matching donor for a patient, the timings can vary.
Not all donors who match with a patient will be asked to go on to donate their stem cells. This can be for a number of reasons including:
- the patient’s team may find another donor who is a slightly better match
- the patient’s treatment plan may change
In addition, sometimes we may ask you to have a further blood test before the patient’s team confirm if you are the best match.
It can take a number of weeks (up to 12) for us to receive the final decision from the patient’s team. They will review lots of information to confirm if you are the very best match for their patient. As soon as we have an update we will let you know.
Some patients have a very small window to receive a transplant, so you may hear from us very quickly and we may ask if you are able to attend a medical assessment within a couple of weeks. For others, it can take several months. It often depends on the patient’s diagnosis and state of health, which first has to be stabilised to increase the chances of the transplant succeeding.
Either way, we will keep you informed every step of the way. We will stay in touch with you and be ready to answer any questions you may have.’
