While many have never heard about bone marrow transplants, Ira Riklis knows that they’re now being used to save the lives of thousands of people each year. That’s why he’s registered in a national registry of potential bone marrow donors. But while he stands ready, he knows he may never be called upon to make a donation. That’s because it’s much more difficult to match donors with recipients than it is to match blood types with those who need blood. And—unlike blood donations—bone marrow donations must be made at the time of need.
A bone marrow transplant is when stem cells normally found in the bone marrow are taken out, filtered, and given back either to the same person or to another person. They’re used to treat, and even cure, diseases in which a patient’s bone marrow—which is vital to producing new red blood cells—is unhealthy. And while it may sound like a painful procedure for the donor, Ira Riklis knows that it’s not. In most cases, donors receive medication that causes stem cells to move out of the bone marrow and into the blood. After a few days, the donor’s blood, along with the circulating stem cells, is drawn from a vein in a procedure much like giving blood.