Bone marrow, found inside bones, contains immature stem cells that can be harvested and coaxed to develop into different types of blood cells. A healthy person can donate their bone marrow to a person who is sick and would be helped by it. During donation, surgeons remove a marrow sample from the hip bone. It is then treated and stored for a patient to use in a transplant.
Read the patient stories below for information and advice on bone marrow donation. Learn about common concerns, including pain, what to expect during and after the procedure, and recovery.
Patient Advice
- Overall Rating
- 3
- average of all patients
- Pain
- Inconvenience
Bone Marrow Donation Preparation:
“Do not hesitate to ask the surgeon any questions, and keep asking a question — in different ways — until you understand the answer.”
What to Expect After Bone Marrow Donation:
“Recovery times vary, so ask the doctor what to expect. I had the procedure on a Wednesday, came home Thursday, and went to work the following Monday. Within a week I was 70% recovered, within a month 90% and the last 10% came within 6-7 weeks.”
“Report any pain or discomfort to the doctor or nurses. Do not hesitate to communicate.”
