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factors to consider before joining

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Factors to Consider Before Joining
Patients searching the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for an unrelated donor depend on potential volunteer donors to be accessible and willing to donate if identified as a match. Therefore, please consider your decision carefully before joining the Registry through Kids Beating Cancer.

Your Commitment
When you join the Registry, you make a commitment to:

•  Be listed on the Registry until your 61st birthday, unless you ask to be removed.

•  Consider donation for any searching patient who matches your tissue type.

•  Stay in touch with Kids Beating Cancer or the NMDP. Tell us you're your address changes, contact information, significant health changes or if you ever change your mind about being a donor.

•  Respond quickly if you are ever contacted as a match for a child or adult whose only hope for a cure is a transplant, as the best possible outcome is when patients are transplanted early.

Making a Decision
You may wish to discuss your decision to be a potential donor with your family or others close to you before you join. You may wish to have their support if you are ever contacted as a match for a patient who needs a transplant.   As a volunteer, you are never under any legal obligation to donate.   Individual decisions are always respected. However, because a late decision not to donate can be life threatening to the patient you have been identified as the best possible match, please consider seriously about your commitment before deciding to join the Registry .

Staying Available as a Donor
When patients are searching, time is essential. To help Kids Beating Cancer and the National Marrow Donor program find matches for patients quickly, it is important that volunteers inform Kids Beating Cancer or the National Marrow Donor Program directly on-line at www.marrow.org if they move or are no longer available as potential donors.

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