Today marks an important day, as for the every first time in Coimbatore a stem cell donation process has been initiated by 'Datri' at KMCH hospitals. The collected stem cell is all set to fly to New Delhi to save the precious life of blood cancer patient. While doctors share that, the transplant will give more than 80% chance for the victim to survive, it's a huge sigh of relief and joy for the family of the victim.
Datri Blood Stem Cell Donors Registry is a non profit organization started in 2009 to save lives of people affected by fatal blood disorders by providing them an opportunity to find a genetically matched donor through a blood stem cell transplant.
It has been proved that patients with blood disorders like Leukemia,Lymphoma,Thalassemia can be cured through a blood stem cell transplant. As there is only 25% chance of finding a match from within the family many of the victims of those diseases have to depend on unrelated donors.
And that's where organisations like Datri help the victims find a suitable stem cell match. At present, Datri has 169123 registered donors and 218 donations have taken place, so far.
Would you like to be a donor? If so, this is how it works:
Those interested to become a donor needs to attend an awareness camp organised by Datri which educates the donor on stem cell donation and also breaks the myths relating to being a donor. An application and a consent form needs to be filled in by the applicant. After doing so, a cheek swab sample will be collected and will be sent to the lab for HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) analysis. The results from the lab will be stored under our database. If a match is found, a further detailed analysis of HLA type and a complete health check up will have to be done. The donor is then prepared by giving Pilagrastim injection for five days to mobilize the stem cells from the bone marrow to the blood stream.The donation is a 3 - 4 hour activity and the donor can resume his routine shortly after donation.
Today, one such donation was carried for the first time in Coimbatore at KMCH Hospital. Sai Prasanth, Donor Coordinator of Datri shares with us the details, 'The donor is a 20 year old college student from Sathyamangalam .He had registered himself at an awareness programme conducted at their college. The recipient is a blood cancer patient from Delhi. At this point, the donor and the recipient are unaware of each other's whereabouts. Upon transplanting the stem cells from this student to the cancer victim in Delhi, he holds a good 80% survival chance. Once the recipient is fully recovered, Datri would arrange a meeting between the donor and the recipient, a true moment to cherish for them and us'.
Sai further shares that most of their donors are male and that Datri plans to mobilize more donors from educational institutions by creating awareness camps and meets. Stem cell donation is just like blood donation. An individual can donate up to three times between 18 years of age to 55 years.
People are misguided that are many complications involved for the donors. To the contrary, it's a completely transparent and safe process. Initially, Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) was the only option for curing these deadly diseases but undeniably BMT is a painful and cumbersome process.'Through stem cell donations a new lease of life can be given to the victims of dreadful diseases and bring a ray of hope to their families' says Sai.
Those who are interested in joining as Volunteers or enrolling themselves as donors, may get in touch with Sai Prasanth, Datri -Donor Coordinator, Ph:8939666545.