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Why donate bone marrow?


Have you ever known someone who had a serious illness and doctors couldn’t fully help or cure them? It’s hard to watch someone you love suffer, but the medicines and cures of tomorrow are being researched today. Researchers use your bone marrow to study and create safe and effective medicines. Your bone marrow could be the key in leading to a breakthrough cure!

We know your time is valuable so you will be compensated for your time and expenses associated with the donation. For more information, please check out our FAQs at the bottom of the page.

How to become a donor?


1

Fill out the new donor questionnaire to determine basic eligibility.

2

Schedule an appointment to meet with us to determine eligibility, take blood samples and schedule your donation.

3

Make your donation and receive compensation for your participation!


Who can become a donor?

  • Be 18-45 years old and healthy
  • Be able to make it in person to our offices in Rockville, Germantown, and Bethesda, Maryland
  • Be available some weekday mornings

Why should I be a donor?

  • Not only are you helping create the cures and treatments of tomorrow, you will receive compensation of $425 or more for valuable time and any inconvenience being involved in the program may cause

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Frequently asked questions


Have you ever thought about all the testing the medication that you take every day had to undergo? Over the counter medication, like Aspirin, once went through rigorous testing to be proven safe and effective. Tomorrow’s medicines are being tested today. Your donation could be used to reverse stroke, make chemo more effective, find tomorrow’s cancer treatments and so much more.

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue in our large bones where stem cells are made. Stem cells are our supercells that can turn into all different kinds of cells in our bodies.

You must be 18-45 years old, not engaged in any high risk behavior and in general good health. Please take the questionnaire on this site to find out if you are qualified to donate.

This is very dependent on the person and their pain tolerance. Most donors are able to resume normal activities right away. Vigorous, athletic tasks should be deferred for at least a couple of days. This is the same procedure that adults and children go through when they need a bone marrow biopsy to find out if they have cancer or a blood disorder.

You will be scheduled for an initial appointment and have to come into our center in Rockville, MD. We will ensure you are definitely eligible, take initial blood samples and schedule your marrow donation. You will then donate within 3 weeks of that initial appointment at a doctor’s office in either Bethesda or Germantown.

You will receive compensation for each appointment. You will receive compensation after screening. If we determine you're a suitable donor for our programs, you will receive additional compensation dependent on the time each program takes. Payments are made after each appointment is complete.

Yes! In fact, we hope you will. There are certain studies in which scientists may ask for specific donors or types of donors.

The scientists that use your bone marrow are testing the medicines of tomorrow so that they can be safe and effective. They are studying how to reverse the damages of Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Graft vs. Host Disease, Crohn's Disease, Heart Failure, Spinal Cord/Back injury and so much more! Your cells may be a key part of their research to create and test tomorrow’s medicines.

As long as you meet our program guidelines, you are able to donate as often as every 3 months. You can donate a total of 12 times during your lifetime.

No. Unfortunately, it is unsafe for a child to be in our collection room and we do not have staff available to help with childcare so you can focus.

Our office is located at 30 W. Gude, Suite 110 in Rockville, MD. Your screening will take place there and the donation will take place at a local cancer center in Bethesda or Germantown, MD.

We know how valuable your time is. For your valuable time and efforts to be a part of this program, you will be compensated a total of $425 or more. Some of our programs take more time than others and you will be compensated accordingly.

We have an extensive referral program. Email our Recruiter, Amanda, at amanda.holk@lonza.com for more information.

 

Accreditation Expires 03/08/21. For further information concerning the American Association of Tissue Banks, go to http://www.aatb.org.