SIBU: The number of stem cell donors in Sarawak is still relatively low, the Sarawak Children’s Cancer Society (SCCR) has warned.
The organisation, in a statement, said there were only 29,300 registered volunteers with the Malaysian Stem Cell Registry (MSCR) as of last month.
“Of the number of donors registered with MSCR, only 572 donors are from Sarawak.
“This makes finding a matching donor for a Sarawakian patient low.
“The increasing number of patients suffering from blood-related diseases annually has resulted in a greater demand for blood stem cells transplantations,” it said.
SCCR said many people in Sarawak suffered from blood-related diseases, including leukaemia, aplastic anaemia and lymphoma.
To create awareness on the importance of stem cell donation, the organisation, together with MSCR, will conduct a Stem Cell Donor Drive and Talk at Wisma Hua Wen Du Zhong here today.
The talk, said the statement, would inform the public on how stem cell donorship could help people in need, as well as the
process involved in donating stem cells.
“Generally, the transplantation from healthy individuals to patients suffering from blood-related diseases can help the latter recover and become healthy again,” said the society.
On the transplantation process, SCCR said a donor’s stem cell should have a compatible Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) with the patient.
“HLA compatibility between donor and patient is influenced by genetic factors.
“Only 30 per cent of patients have HLA compatibility among their siblings, making them eligible for blood stem cell transplantation.
“The remaining 70 per cent of patients need to look for matching HLA from unrelated donors from blood stem cells volunteer databases, such as MSCR, or from other registries abroad.”