Blacks Face Bone Marrow Donor Shortage

by Habiba Nosheen

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Courtesy of The ICLA Da Silva Foundation

When Jennifer Jones Austin was unable to find a bone marrow donor match, her family appealed to the public in ads shown in churches and on the Internet.

Video: Jennifer Jones Austin Needs A Bone Marrow Transplant

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Bone marrow transplants are often the only treatment for blood-related cancers. The treatment, however, is dependent on the patient finding a donor who shares a similar genetic makeup. In most cases, that means the match is found in someone of the same race. But the black community has a particularly tough time attracting donors.

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Bone Marrow Donors By Race

Because of their mixed heritage and lower donation rates, African Americans have a smaller pool to draw matches from than white donor seekers. However, unlike solid organ transplants, there is no waiting list for bone marrow and cord blood transplants because patients aren’t competing for the same donor.

blacks and bone marrow shortage

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