Impacts

[Patient Dave Stahl after recieving world's first successful bone marrow transplant, MPR News]

"They tried something new and took a long-shot and it worked."

~ Dave Stahl

"Patient Dave Stahl as an adult", MPR News

Finding a bone marrow donor, something very limited just decades ago, is a simpler, and typically quicker, process today.

In the United States, more than 22 million potential bone marrow donors are registered. More than 300,000 cord blood units are registered as well. More than one million bone marrow transplants have occurred worldwide.

"The work led to a clarification of the role of transplant genes and how they stimulate immune reactions; This opened the way to scientific discoveries by many others, including research that led to Nobel prizes."

~ Dr. Paul Sondel

National Marrow Donor Program

One significant impact is the increasing probability of locating a suitable unrelated donor. Despite the fact that Caucasians still have a higher likelihood of finding an unrelated donor, the number of donations from other racial groups has significantly increased and the disparity in the availability of donors is narrowing. The "Be The Match" program aspires to further reduce this disparity and make bone marrow donations and matches a more accessible and equitable process in the coming years.

"We're at the beginning of new types of therapies in which patients are given cells using novel techniques."

~ Dr. Mark Juckett