South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR)

South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) The SABMR exists to help find matching donors for patients needing a bone marrow transplant and who do not have a match within their own families.

Why do people need bone marrow transplants? Every year, hundreds of South African children and adults with blood diseases such as leukaemia and bone marrow failure are considered for bone marrow transplantation for which a healthy donor is needed. In 30% of cases a suitable donor can be found within the patient's family, usually a brother or sister. For the other 70% of patients, their only hope is for the SABMR to find them a matched unrelated donor. How does the SABMR find donors for patients? Patients are not responsible for finding their own unrelated donor. Doctors contact the SABMR to search for donors both in the local and international databases. Currently the SABMR database is approaching 74 000 donors and there are nearly 30 million donors in registries worldwide. Access to this large pool of donors increases the chance of finding a match for a patient. However, finding a suitably matched unrelated donor is a complicated process that takes time, so it's a good idea for the search to be started as soon as possible. Of the patients transplanted to date, for approximately 25%, a South African donor was found; for the remaining patients a donor was found in another country. Once a match has been found, what next? The SABMR works with the transplant centre and the donor centre to schedule the donation. On the scheduled date, the marrow or blood cells are collected and transported from the collection centre to the transplant centre. The SABMR arranges all the logistics to ensure that the cells arrive on time. The precious cells are hand carried by trained, experienced individuals.

Did you know, you can still save a life even if you’re not a donor?Behind every lifesaving stem cell transplant is a pas...
02/03/2026

Did you know, you can still save a life even if you’re not a donor?

Behind every lifesaving stem cell transplant is a passionate team of volunteers.

By volunteering at SABMR donor recruitment drives, you help
- Educate communities.
- Sign up potential donors and future lifesavers.
- Give patients hope.

You may not be the match – but you can help find one.

Be part of something bigger – if you’re between the ages of 16 and 25 and would like to join our team of volunteers, pop us a 📩 DM.

Not everyone can donate their stem cells but everyone can help save a life. Financial donations to the South African Bon...
27/02/2026

Not everyone can donate their stem cells but everyone can help save a life.

Financial donations to the South African Bone Marrow Registry help cover the critical costs behind every potential transplant, from donor testing and tissue typing to maintaining the Registry and co-ordinating life-saving matches.

Behind every match is a patient waiting for a second chance.
Behind every Rand is hope.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small, helps move a patient one step closer to a second chance at life.
Because when it comes to saving lives, every Rand makes a difference.

Donate here now: www.sabmr.co.za/donate

Did you know? Registering and matching stem cell donors comes with real costs and that’s where your support matters.Fina...
25/02/2026

Did you know? Registering and matching stem cell donors comes with real costs and that’s where your support matters.

Financial donations to the South African Bone Marrow Registry help fund:
• Donor recruitment and testing
• Tissue typing and lab processing
• Registry operations and co-ordination
• Support for life-saving transplant processes

For patients with blood cancers and disorders, a match can mean survival.
Your donation helps make those matches possible.

Give today. Help save a life tomorrow.
www.sabmr.co.za/donate

22/02/2026

Onthou jy dié episode met Martin Bester en die South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) wat verlede jaar uitgesaai het? Nie net het Bonnie en Elton mekaar gevind nie, maar ons kon as saam met die SABMR en Jacaranda 94.2 bewustheid oor beenmurg-stamselskenking skep.❤️

We all talk about finding “the one.”For patients waiting on a stem cell transplant a donor match is the one.This Month o...
20/02/2026

We all talk about finding “the one.”
For patients waiting on a stem cell transplant a donor match is the one.

This Month of Love, you could be the perfect match someone is praying for.

Quick registration.
Simple cheek swab.
Lifesaving impact.

Because real love shows up, even for strangers.

Join the SABMR today www.sabmr.co.za

As the holy month of Ramadan begins, the South African Bone Marrow Registry would like to extend our warmest wishes to a...
18/02/2026

As the holy month of Ramadan begins, the South African Bone Marrow Registry would like to extend our warmest wishes to all our Muslim followers, donors, patients, partners and supporters.

May this special time bring you peace, reflection, compassion and renewed hope.
Ramadan Mubarak

16/02/2026

A call he never expected… a life forever changed 💙

“Hi, I’m Willie Marx. I first registered with the South African Bone Marrow Registry while studying at North-West University in Potchefstroom after seeing an awareness drive on campus. I loved the idea of being able to give someone a second chance at life.

When I received the call that I was a possible match, I was completely caught off guard. My family was initially worried because they didn’t know much about the process, but once they understood it better, they felt reassured.

Before the donation, I received G-CSF injections to help produce more stem cells. I experienced some mild side effects, but they were manageable and disappeared shortly after the donation. The procedure itself took a few hours and I was back to my normal routine soon after.

Signing up as a donor has the power to radically change someone’s life. You could be the one person in the world who can save a life.”

Be someone’s second chance. Register to become a donor today.

This World Radio Day, we celebrate the power of radio and the incredible stations and presenters who help share SABMR’s ...
13/02/2026

This World Radio Day, we celebrate the power of radio and the incredible stations and presenters who help share SABMR’s lifesaving message.

Radio informs. Radio connects. Radio reaches hearts across communities.

Because of your voices and your platforms, more people learn about stem cell donation, more donors register and more lives get a second chance.

To every station, producer and presenter who supports our cause, thank you for helping us turn airtime into lifelines.

13/02/2026

Did you know the SABMR recently featured on Binnelanders?

The cast on set hosted a donor drive as part of the storyline of one of the characters. Thank you to the team at kykNET for including us and highlighting the life-saving work we do.

Today marks a very special milestone in our valued partnership with Pick n Pay National CSI. We are grateful to have re...
11/02/2026

Today marks a very special milestone in our valued partnership with Pick n Pay National CSI. We are grateful to have received a brand-new Defy fridge, which will help ensure the safe storage of medical supplies and medication.

Thank you to Pick n Pay National CSI for this generous contribution and your continued support. We truly value our partnership.

In picture: Dr Marietta Hopley (SABMR) and Ms Deirdre Mullins (Manager of National Pick ‘n Pay CSI Pick n Pay

Flowers wilt. Chocolates are eaten faster than they arrive. But saving a life lasts forever.Becoming a stem cell donor i...
09/02/2026

Flowers wilt. Chocolates are eaten faster than they arrive.
But saving a life lasts forever.

Becoming a stem cell donor is a once-in-a-lifetime gift that could give someone many more lifetimes.

This February, choose a gift that truly means something.

Register.
Swab.
Save a life.

Your love story could be someone else’s survival story 💙

https://sabmr.co.za/become-a-donor/💙

The SABMR has been in the business of saving lives for more than 35 years. Did you know the Registry facilitated the fir...
06/02/2026

The SABMR has been in the business of saving lives for more than 35 years.
Did you know the Registry facilitated the first matched unrelated donor transplant in 1997?

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J57, Old Outpatient Building Groote Schuur Hospital Observatory
Cape Town
7925

Opening Hours

Monday 07:30 - 16:00
Tuesday 07:30 - 16:00
Wednesday 07:30 - 16:00
Thursday 07:30 - 16:00
Friday 07:30 - 16:00

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