What are some common misconceptions about donating bone marrow? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
Answer by Mary Halet, Director of Community Engagement at Be The Match, on Quora:
One of the biggest misconceptions is unbearable pain. Let’s be honest — Hollywood has not done bone marrow donation any favors. Have you seen “7 Pounds”? If so, this is not reality. Not at all.
Bone marrow donation is a surgical procedure, done in a hospital operating room. The donor receives general anesthesia and is asleep for the procedure. Bone marrow, which is rich in blood stem cells, is collected from the iliac crest, at the top of the hip bone. After the procedure, the donor may feel soreness or tenderness on their lower backside. It’s typically a same-day surgery, meaning the donor will go home in the evening to rest. Most donors are back to their normal activities in a few days and feeling well in a week. Peripheral blood stem cell donation takes place in a blood center, using an apheresis machine. In order to prepare for the donation, the donor receives a medication for five days prior to the donation to increase the donor’s normal production of blood stem cells. The donor might feel achy or tired for a few days before the donation. The donor is connected to the machine through a needle and tubing in their arm. The machine collects the blood stem cells. Most donors feel back to normal shortly after their collection.
Another important misconception is cost. Individuals believe their own insurance will be charged for the procedure, or they may have to pay their expenses associated with donating. These are not accurate. Donors never pay to donate marrow. All medical costs for the donation procedure are covered by Be The Match. We reimburse out of pocket costs the donor may have in order to donate.
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