Who Can Donate Stem Cells? Eligibility to Register with DKMS UK

Every 14 minutes someone in the UK is diagnosed with a blood cancer, such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.

DKMS provides patients with a second chance at life, working closely with their families from diagnosis to transplant and beyond. The donor journey begins with a swab of the cheek that takes two minutes and can be the action that leads to a lifesaving transplant.

Who can donate stem cells?

Basic stem cell donor requirements include:

• aged between 16 (minimum age) – 55 (maximum age)
• in general good health
• Body Mass Index (BMI) under 40
• not already registered on another bone marrow registry - you only need to be on one:
  • Anthony Nolan
  • British Bone Marrow Registry (BBMR)
  • Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry (WBMDR)
• UK resident at a permanent address for two years minimum
• haven’t recently requested a swab online from DKMS.

Health conditions you can register with

You can register if the following criteria apply to you:

• enlarged thyroid or underactive thyroid
• thyroid (hypothyroidism/Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis stable and symptom-free. NOT Graves’ disease
• iron-deficiency anaemia, if treatable with iron supplement
• hay fever, mild asthma, food allergy
• basalioma and cervical carcinoma in situ, if fully removed
• unipolar depression, mild depression, without any limitations in daily life; no previous manic episodes
• high blood pressure, stable and well-controlled.

Who cannot donate stem cells?

You will not be able to register if you have any of the following conditions:

• severe heart, lung or kidney diseases
• severe illnesses of the central nervous system
• severe mental health conditions
• severe metabolic diseases
• addictions: alcohol, drugs, tablets
• severe tropical infectious diseases
• infectious diseases like HIV, hepatitis B or hepatitis C, syphilis
• systemic autoimmune diseases or other severe chronic illnesses, e.g. Type 1 diabetes or rheumatism
• cancer, including being cancer-free, but having had cancer in the past
• diseases of the haematopoietic system (blood disorders).

Who cannot donate bone marrow?

Both donation methods begin with the same eligibility assessment and registration is identical. The donation method will be decided by the patient's doctor based on their needs.