More young Māori and Pacific people are being encouraged to join the New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry, with greater diversity critical to improving the chances of patients finding a potentially lifesaving match.
The call comes as World Marrow Donor Day puts the spotlight on the need for more stem cell donors, particularly from communities currently underrepresented on donor registries.
Finding a compatible donor can be difficult because stem cell matching relies heavily on inherited genetic markers. That means patients are often more likely to find a suitable match among donors with a similar ethnic background.
While there are more than 40 million potential donors worldwide, around 25 million are of European descent. In New Zealand, the registry has only about 6,000 Māori and 3,000 Pacific potential donors.
For people diagnosed with blood cancers, blood disorders and some immune deficiencies, a stem cell transplant can offer a crucial pathway to treatment and, in some cases, the possibility of a cure.
Joining is relatively simple. New Zealanders aged 18 to 35 who meet blood donor eligibility requirements can start with a cheek swab, including by ordering a free kit to complete at home.
The Registry hopes more rangatahi Māori and young Pacific people will consider signing up, knowing that one small decision today could one day provide a lifesaving match for another person and their whānau.
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