Helpers do not need to be afraid

Finding a stem cell donor is not so easy. Maybe it is a little bit because of the description of the process of collecting these stem cells. The one possibility seems to be contractual, in which the necessary amount of stem cells is taken from the flowing blood, a process comparable to dialysis. And then there is the way of taking bone marrow from the iliac crest. But this requires two days in the clinic and a collection under general anesthesia. And that seems to be more of a deterrent.
Gert model from herzogenaurach finds fear unnecessary. He has already donated cells himself and he knows that it is not so bad. "It takes just over four hours and then everything is done." He has the variant "bloodwash" get. Well over 80 percent receive this treatment in order to obtain the stem cells. Whereby the so-called "stanzen", the collection from the spinal cord is also rather unspectacular, but more time-consuming.
It is so easy to donate
Everything before that was basically quite simple. "The typing takes place either through a blood sample or the swab from the mouth." But already at this point it should be clear that the project is "no pellet", emphasizes model. Then it can happen that nothing happens. That you are not a donor for the current request (in this case for jakob), at first. But since the data is then stored by the german bone marrow donor registry (DKMS), the data may later become relevant.
Model, who was typed in 1999, donated his stem cells 13 years later. "You will receive a letter stating that you are a suitable donor. Then it's off to the family doctor, who checks you again and only then is an appointment made at the hospital." There is also another routine examination to check the state of health. "The only thing you will have to do is to get injections." These are similar to thrombosis injections, which are supposed to stimulate the release of stem cells into the blood. "And if someone has problems with injecting, then I'm happy to come along", explains model laughing. "This is really the lesser part, when you know that you can save a life with your donation.
A good feeling that makes you forget the four hours in the hospital. There, a blood wash filters the desired material out of the blood. A good feeling that makes you forget that you might be "dulling" the hospital a little left with possible mild flu symptoms or back pain as a side effect of the injections.