Minimum age for bone marrow donors?

degamo · New User Joined: 12 Dec 2006 Posts: 1

Found out about two weeks ago my nephew has leukemia. His biological sister is not a match. He is of a mixed race background just like my four boys.

My boys are 11, 14,16, and 17 (turning 18 end of Jan. 2007). What we have been hearing is that the boys can't be tested or donate even if they are a match because they are underage.

Is this federal law or does someone know how to get this law changed. Because that is just not right. If we are willing (even the kids) to be tested then it should be ok right?

Any insight will be helpful as this is all way too much for us at the moment.

Thank You

brainman

Hi,

I moved your post to the Leukemia Forum because people here might know a better answer than anyone else.

I do not personally have any "official" answer to your question. However, I think I have heard about young people donating bone marrow. I do not know if there is a minimum age. That might be different from doctor to doctor, state to state, and certainly from country to country.

Another guess I have is that the "test" is nothing more than a blood test. I don't think they actually have to sample the bone marrow to determine if a person can be a donor.

Good luck. I hope someone else has more experience in this area and can help you find your answers.

You could do a search of the web.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

marijke · New User Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Hey,

I don't know if there's any point in replying to your message, since it has been quite a while. I hope it might have some use for somebody else.

My brother was diagnosed in july 2005 with ALL, he had a year of chemotherapy treatment, after 4 months of being 'cured', he had a relapse. The second step was a bone marrow transplantation, i wasn't compatible, but my sister was. At the time she was only 13, and that wasn't a problem at all, all she needed was conscent from my parents.. which of course wasn't a problem.

I have heard before that apparently only a 'brother' or a 'sister' is able to donate bone marrow, they can't test other relatives as the mixes - parents - are different, therefore the chance that they can be a donor is very small.
Also when you're over a certain age, i believe it is 50 you can't be a bonemarrow donor anymore.

Usually the hospital has acces to a donor bank, which means that when your siblings don't match - there usually is another person that does match with you and they will approach this person and ask whether he/she will be a donor for you. I myself have put myself on the list as well, even though my brother didn't make it in the end (he was only 19) - he died last month after extensive chemotherapy, bonemarrow transplantation, and other 'new' medications such as Glivec, he just kept on getting a relapse - I just think it is important that even though he didn't make it, i can still help somebody who might make it.

So don't let this story discourage you, if you have a relative that has leukeamia or yourself, every case is different, like each individual is different, so is each cancer case. And I have seen many young men walk out of the hospital after intense treatment and were able to study/work, do sports and go on holiday again. Unfortunately i don't get to experience that with my brother. Sad

M

brainman

marijke, first, thank you for posting your brother's story. It WILL help others.

Second and most important, I am very sorry about your brother's death. He was so young! My father died in Sept 2006 of ALL complications but he was much older (80) and did not ever get healthy enough for a bone marrow transplant. In fact, it took the several years just to diagnose his ALL... the first biopsy was negative.

How are you coping? It has only been one month. I hope we can help you too.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

marijke · New User Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 2

Thank you for your amazingly quick reply. I've been skimming the internet for other people's stories... just to know that i'm not the only one going through this 'earthly hell'.

At the moment i'm not doing very well, just listening to his music, looking at his pictures, thinking how things could have been.. and the inevitable question: why?

I just want to pass my brothers story along, just so that it might have some use, that at least he will never be forgotten and that those last 2,5 years of being ill weren't totally for nothing if you know what i mean. I just hope that people can get some kind of strength from him. His motto until the very end was: FIGHT! and keep on going, there is no room for self-pity and NEVER settle for second best. Maybe that will give some a push in the right direction.

thanks M

brainman

It just so happens that you were still on when I activated your membership. You very quickly posted your first message while I was still working. Don't expect such promptness in the future Laughing

.

I know that part of my reason for being an active participant on this forum is to honor my parents since both died due to cancer. Maybe you can find a way to actively honor your brother by helping others? It does sound like that is what you are doing.

Yes, "why?" is an inevitable question. It is part of grieving. In the context of grief, "why?" is an expression of anger. It is not fair that your bother died so young. It is not fair that you are experiencing "earthly hell."

Best wishes.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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