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Health Disparities

Our Shrink the Gap campaign is committed to enhance patient’s likelihood of finding a matching PBSC or bone marrow donor.

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There are wide disparities in the likelihood of finding a matching donor ranging from 23% to 77% depending on ethnic background especially for Hispanic and African American patients.

 

The goal of our campaign is to increase the number of people of color on the Be the Match Registry to help these patients overcome these health care disparities. We need donors who will stay committed and donate when called as a match.  

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Important facts about health disparities:

  • Nearly half of Hispanic patients are struggling to find a matching blood stem cell donor.

  • The Be The Match Registry includes more than 19 million registry members. Of those, 7% identify as Hispanic or Latino.

  • Searching Hispanic patients urgently need more Hispanic donors to join the registry.

  • Hispanic donors are most likely to match Hispanic patients.

  • The Be The Match Registry includes more than 19 million registry members. Of those, about 4% identify as Black or African American.

  • Searching African-American patients urgently need more African-American donors to join the registry.

  • African-American donors are most likely to match African-American patients.

  • African Americans have more diverse tissue types than other populations and a smaller pool of potential donors, making it especially challenging to find a match.

  • Children with parents from different ethnic backgrounds are inheriting new and unique genetic combinations. 

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Adding more donors to the registry is a matter of life and death. When more donors register, and commit to donating, more lives will be saved. 

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