Aidan’s stem cells saved a life. Yours could too.
A simple questionnaire. A perfect match. A life saved. Learn how Aidan became a life-saving stem cell donor and how more young men can make a real difference.
Feet up and blood donation-ready, it was a regular donor moment for Aidan at the Nambour Blood Donor Centre. A team member started chatting with him about the Stem Cell Registry (formerly Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry) and how he could save even more lives. They shared a bit more information about the process and Aidan soon learned that it wasn’t as difficult or time-consuming as he had thought.
In 2020, Aidan officially signed up to the Australian Stem Cell Registry and in 2022, he was identified as a potential match for a recipient. He had a blood test, answered a questionnaire and in a few months, was selected as a preferred donor. Aidan was ready but the procedure for his recipient was put on hold.
Fast forward to 2024 – the donation had the go-ahead from the medical teams involved. Soon, Aidan was undergoing a full medical health check at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and meeting with doctors and nurses before the procedure.
On the donation day, Aidan headed in for six hours of stem cell extraction. What did it look like? There were two machines – one which drew blood from his left arm, putting it through a centrifuge to extract the stem cells, and another smaller machine on his right which returned his other cells through his arm. In total, Aidan’s blood was completely circulated four times.
After the donation, Aidan jumped on Facebook to share his experience:
“The procedure was relatively easy and painless – especially compared to what the recipient would have been through."
"I want to inform and maybe convince others to sign up to the registry – it doesn't take much to possibly save a life. For something as simple as filling out a form, you could give a complete stranger the ultimate gift of hope and a chance of survival."
Lifeblood’s Stem Cell Donor Coordinators agreed, “Stories like Aidan's give us the lovely warm reminder that it can be the simplest conversation, the smallest moment, the tiniest bit of extra time and effort that we put into a 'routine' part of our workday that can lead to a truly big, life-changing moment for someone else. Life really IS the reason.”
All it takes is a simple “yes, I’m in.” A few moments of your day. And it could mean a lifetime for someone else. Lifeblood and the Stem Cell Registry always need new donors, especially men aged between 18 to 35 because they can give more stem cells. But we do encourage everyone within this age range to join the registry because 70% of patients who need a stem cell transplant don’t have a match within their family and you could be their life-saving answer.
At the time of making his donation, Aidan only knew that someone in the world needed his stem cells, and he was a rare suitable match. Since the donation, he's found out that his donation stayed in Australia and the recipient was responding well to treatment. In a few years, both Aidan and the recipient will have the opportunity to reach out to one another via the Stem Cell Donors Australia team – or it may stay a mystery forever who he helped save.
If you’re 18 to 35 and want to register as a stem cell donor, start by booking a regular blood or plasma donation and speak to a team member in centre about joining the registry. Registration is simple and only takes a few steps. For more information on stem cell donations, visit our Stem Cell page.
