A bone marrow transplant is a critical medical procedure to replace your bone marrow with healthy cells. It can either come from the body of a patient or a donor. The other name for bone marrow transplant is stem cell transplant. This treatment is done to combat several diseases such as cancer, myeloma, leukemia, lymphoma, and other immune system diseases.
However, before an individual decides to opt for this treatment method, they must gather facts related to bone marrow transplant costs in India. Do you want to be one of the bone marrow donors, thus saving someone else’s life? If yes, you are reading the right article. Stay tuned till the end, and you will get valuable insights into the process.
Why Should You Donate Your Bone Marrow?
If you wish to donate your bone marrow to a patient, you can help them take a step toward a healthy life. Your decision can change the life of someone with the following health concerns:
- Adrenoleukodystrophy
- Acute leukemia
- Bone marrow failure syndromes
- Aplastic anemia
- Chronic leukemia
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Inborn errors of metabolism
- Immune deficiencies
- Myelodysplastic syndromes
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Neuroblastoma
- POEMS syndrome
- Plasma cell disorders
- Primary amyloidosis
What Are the Medical Guidelines to Become a Bone Marrow Donor?
If you want to join the community of bone marrow donors, meeting the medical guidelines is a must. Check out some of the requirements mentioned below:
- Age: You should belong to the age group of 18 to 35 years.
- HIV/AIDS: If you are diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, you will not be able to register yourself as a bone marrow donor.
- Allergies: Suffering from mild allergies and medications is not a deterrent. However, if you are typically exposed to latex, the health practitioners will evaluate your condition before allowing you to donate bone marrow.
- Arthritis: While moderate to mild arthritic condition is okay, you will not be allowed to register as a donor with a severe arthritic condition.
- Asthma: Do you have asthma and use steroids? If yes, you can’t donate bone marrow.
- Autoimmune disease: You can’t be a part of the bone marrow donor community with these autoimmune diseases:
- Fibromyalgia
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Severe psoriasis
- Addison’s disease
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
On the other hand, you CAN join the donor group with the following conditions:
- Grave’s disease
- Celiac disease
- Crohn’s disease
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Meniere’s disease
- Mild psoriasis
- Ulcerative colitis
- Raynaud’s syndrome
- Vitiligo
Keep your health in check so that you can ensure others’ well-being.
- Bleeding Problem: You are not allowed to be a part of the bone marrow donor group with a severe bleeding problem. Issues such as Factor V Leiden, Von Willebrand’s Disease, aplastic anemia, or deep vein blood clot disallow you from donating bone marrow.
- Blood Pressure: If your blood pressure is controlled with diet or medication, you may be considered for donation.
- Chronic Back, Neck, Spine, or Hip Pain: You can choose to donate your bone marrow with strains, aches, and sprains in your body. But, you won’t be able to join if your chronic pain:
- Requires regular medication
- Acts as a barrier in your daily activities
- Needs chiropractic treatment
- Demands frequent physical therapy
However, you can contact your local donor center for more information.
- Flu or Cold: These health conditions will not prevent you from being a volunteer donor.
- Depression: If you are clinically depressed and under medication, you may be allowed to donate after a comprehensive assessment of your mental and physical health.
- Diabetes: You should contact your health practitioner and ask them to evaluate your health issues as soon as possible. If your diabetes is well-controlled by medications or diet, you can choose to donate your bone marrow. On the other hand, if you are insulin-dependent, you cannot become a donor.
- Epilepsy: Well-controlled epilepsy will allow you to donate your bone marrow to the patient.
- Heart Disease: If you are an individual with heart disease, you can’t donate your bone marrow to the receiver. Ask your bone marrow transplant doctor to evaluate your current condition and decide based on the results.
- Immunizations: If you have undergone common immunizations, you can become a potential volunteer donor. On the other hand, receiving an investigational vaccine demands a solid evaluation of your health.
- Kidney Problems: If you have chronic glomerulonephritis or polycystic kidney disease, you will not be allowed to donate your bone marrow.
The Bottom Line
Nothing can be better than helping someone survive. If you are looking for a reputed hospital for the bone marrow donation process, contact BLK MAX Hospital. They can also provide you with information related to bone marrow transplant costs in India.
