Become a Stem Cell Donor in South Africa

Become A Stem Cell Donor

You could be someone’s only match.

You could be someone’s only match. Every day in South Africa, people are diagnosed with life-threatening blood disorders such as leukaemia and lymphoma. For many of these patients, a stem cell or bone marrow transplant is their only chance of survival.But there’s a challenge: Most patients will not find a matching donor within their family.That’s where the donor registry plays a critical role. Organisations like South African Bone Marrow Registry help connect patients with unrelated donors who may be their only match.Becoming a stem cell donor in South Africa is simple, safe, and could save a life. Join the registry in just a few minutes. Below are a few things to consider before moving to the next steps.

Step 1:

Are You Eligible?

Age 16-45 (under 18? Chat with your family first).
In good health.
Ready to be someone’s genetic hero.

Step 2:

Get your Mission Kit

Once registered with the South African Bone Marrow Registry, your SWAB kit will be sent to you.
Follow the simple instructions included in your kit.
Take your cheek SWAB (Quick, Paineless and Easy)
Seal everything securely once complete.

Step 3:

Send it Back

Place your SWAB back in the packaging provided.
Contact us to arrange courier pickup of your completed kit.
That little package holds giant hope.

Why Become a Stem Cell Donor in South Africa?

Thousands of patients are currently searching for a matching donor. Unfortunately:

Only a small percentage find a match within their family
Many rely on unrelated donors
Some never find a match in time

Because South Africa has a highly diverse population, finding a compatible donor can be even more challenging.

This makes each registered donor incredibly valuable.

By joining the registry, you increase the chances that someone, somewhere, will find the match they desperately need.

Fill in our Donor form and follow the steps:

Thousands of patients are currently searching for a matching donor and your sign up is one step closer to saving a life:

Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4

Name: *

Surname: *

Cellphone: *

Email: *

Gender: *

Ethnicity: *

Country: *

Province: *

City: *

Communication Preferences:
No Preference Telephone Email SMS/WhatsApp

Are you between the ages of 16 and 45?

Yes No

Your body mass index is important in stem cell donation.

Please enter your weight: *
(kg)

Please enter your height: *
(m)

Do you have or did you previously have one of the following (chronic) diseases?

Heart disease (e.g. previous heart attack, coronary heart disease, heart surgery)
Lung diseases (e.g. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease, TB)
Diseases of the haematopoietic system
Blood disorders (e.g. Thalassaemia Major, Protein C, Protein S or Antithrombin deficiency, Fanconi Anaemia)
Severe kidney diseases
Thrombosis
Neurological disorders (e.g. Epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease)
Cancer
Autoimmune conditions (e.g. Rheumatoid Arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Thyroid Disease)
Infectious diseases (e.g. HIV or AIDS, Hepatitis B and C)
Diabetes Type 1 and 2 (except your Diabetes Type 2 is controlled by diet and there are no other risk factors)
A carrier of a gene for a genetic disease

Yes No

Unfortunately you do not meet the necessary requirements to become a stem cell donor. However, you could be most helpful to the SABMR by becoming a financial donor instead. Would you like to make a once-off financial donation? If you’d like more information on why you were deferred, please have a look at our donor exclusion criteria.

I want to to help with a once-off donation

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Congratulations!

You qualify to proceed with the registration of becoming a potential stem cell donor.

You will shortly receive an email from the SABMR with more information.

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Learn more in our Donor Guide

Many Donors have many questions about what all is required from you to become a donor, below our guide breaks down everything you need to know!

Learn More In Our Donor Guide

You Can Be Someone's Tomorrow

Learn More

Patient Stories

Find out how Stem Cell donors change patients’ lives.

Behind every life saved through a stem cell transplant is a real person who chose to step forward. Often known as a bone marrow transplant, this life-changing act gives patients a second chance — more time, more memories, more life. Every donor has a story. Every patient has a future waiting to be rewritten.

Read more stories below and discover how one decision can change everything.

Patient Story

"All it takes is for one person to act from their heart"

At the age of 9 Vivek Abraham was diagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma – an aggressive blood cancer that had spread widely within his body. After successful treatment he was in remission, but when he was 22 years old, he was re-introduced to a world of chemotherapy and his only hope of any sustainable recovery was a bone marrow stem cell transplant. When he heard that he would receive the stem cells from a 10/10 match in Germany it was an affirmation of his faith in humanity. After he recovered from chemotherapy, and dealing with side effects from the transplant aside, he graduated as a medical doctor in December 2023….

Every donor has a story — and every story saves a life

Every person who chooses to become a bone marrow donor begins with a simple decision. It may feel small at the time, but for someone waiting for a match, it can mean everything.

The individuals who join the registry are not defined by titles or achievements—they are everyday people who made the choice to help someone they may never meet. From the moment they register, they become part of something far greater than themselves.

Each donor’s journey is unique. Some are contacted within months, others after many years, and many are never called at all. But for those who are matched, the moment they are asked to donate marks the beginning of a life-changing experience—both for them and for the patient on the receiving end.

These are the quiet, ordinary heroes whose actions carry extraordinary impact. Their willingness to step forward gives patients a second chance at life, offering hope where there was uncertainty and possibility where there was none.

Their courage continues to drive our mission forward, proving that a single decision—made in minutes—can help rewrite someone’s future in ways that last a lifetime.