The next day
Nia is 13
Nia’s father gets medical tests to check if he is healthy enough to donate blood-making stem cells.
Donating blood-making stem cells is very safe for most people.
But doctors still need to check if the donor has any medical problems that would make it unsafe.
The donor will get:
- A medical examination by a doctor.
- Blood tests.
- Other tests and scans, if needed.
This can take a few weeks.
Some people cannot donate.
Doctors will not let someone donate blood-making stem cells if…
- They have an active infection.
- They have uncontrolled diabetes or high blood pressure.
- They have a history of cancer.
- They are pregnant.
Umbilical cord blood transplant
- This is only used when there is no full match donor.
- There can be more complications with a cord blood transplant.
- Finding matching cord blood is difficult.
- Umbilical cord blood can be donated by parents when their children are born.
- Umbilical cord blood is a good source of blood-making stem cells and can be used to do a transplant.
- There are cord blood banks which store donated cord blood.
- Your doctor can check if a cord blood bank has blood-making stem cells that are a good match to you.