Giving hope to blood cancer patients

How we support you

Patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do at DKMS. With a global database of 12 million potential stem cell donors and over 120,000 donations facilitated to date, we are dedicated to supporting patients in their search to find a stem cell donor, giving them and others needing a stem cell transplant hope for the future.

We’re here to chat about how we can work with you, which will always be at your pace. Here’s some basic information:

Holding a DKMS stem cell donor registration event

DKMs stem cell donor registration events happen all year round, right across the UK. Trained volunteers guide people who get involved/attend through the quick and easy process of joining the UK stem cell register – some simple mouth swabs and heath questions. As more people sign up, hope increases for people everywhere who need a transplant that a match can be found for them.

Joining with DKMS to run your own donor registration event can help you make a positive impact during a challenging time – you’ll be bringing people together to create positive change. DKMS is here to guide and support you with all aspects of organising an event in your local community, including gathering together a group of family members or friends to help, to ensure you have time to focus on yourself and your loved ones too, so we encourage you to gather a group of family members or friends to help with organising.

Jo Hughes’ young son Oti received a stem cell transplant in 2023, inspiring her to run her own donor registration event to support others like him. She says: "Just go for it. You will be completely supported. You can’t fail. If you manage to get one person on the register, it’s that person that could be a match for someone. Just get in touch with DKMS and your hand will be held.”

Sharing your story

“For a long time, it has been me and him, it still is me and him and I want it to continue being me and him.” This is what Philip O’Connor said about the search for a stem cell donor for his twin brother John.

Many patients and their families want to share their experiences. It can be a very impactful, direct way of inspiring people to join the stem cell register.

DKMS sensitively tells their stories, ensuring that they’re always in control of what we share across our unique, global networks – such as our social media channels.

Using the media to raise awareness

“People don’t know that it’s so easy to do and how it could be saving a life,” This is what mum Katrina Collins powerfully told TV audiences as she worked with DKMS to register more potential new stem cell donors, when her 24 year old son Ben needed a transplant.

We work with journalists every day, helping ensure what they report about blood cancers and disorders, and stem cell registration, donation and transplantation is accurate and that it encourages people to take action.

DKMS can share your story with journalists, always making sure you’re happy with what tell them, and fielding their requests for more information.

Or, we can guide you if you’d like to contact your local media yourself – advising on how to maximise the impact of what you communicate to them.

For many people it can be really positive/comforting to know you’re doing something to help others and to see so many people supporting you or your loved one. We’re waiting to hear from you and answer your questions: