FAQ

A: You can get more information about each health question by pointing your mouse at the question. A pop-up box will appear showing an explanation or example.

If you still have questions, please call us at 1 (800) 654-1247. We’re available to answer your call 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday. If you call when we’re not available, you can leave a message and we’ll return your call.

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A: The Be The Match Registry ^® is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). The NMDP will use your personal information only for purposes directly connected to your joining the registry.

• We need your health information to make sure you are medically eligible to donate.
• We need your contact information so we can find you if you are a potential match for a patient. We may also contact you for administrative purposes, such as to request that you update your registry contact information.
• We use your race information to help us match donors to patients. A patient is more likely to find a match with someone of the same racial heritage.

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A: Identifying your race helps the NMDP match donors to patients. A patient is more likely to find a match with someone of the same racial ancestry. Racial information is important in helping us more quickly identify a donor for a patient. For example, if a patient is Asian, we will first look more closely at potential donors who identified themselves as Asian because they are more likely to match. Identifying a donor quickly is important. For many patients, receiving a transplant as quickly as possible affects their overall chance of survival.

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A: Your race is based on the origins of your parents’ ancestors. Your race includes specific traits that are inherited, including the traits that are used to match donors to patients.

• Your race is not based on where you were born, but on where your ancestors came from.
• Ethnicity is the heritage or nationality of a group, but it is not connected to a specific race. People who identify themselves as Hispanic may be of any race.
• The ethnic and racial categories on the donor registration form reflect the requirements of the federal government (Office of Management and Budget). We are required to list two categories for ethnicity and five broad race categories.
• If you don’t see your race listed, please select the race(s) that most closely reflect where your ancestors came from.
• You can select more than one racial category. If your parents have different racial backgrounds, it is important to check the boxes that reflect this. If we are looking for a donor for a multiracial patient, we would first look at donors who have a similar multiracial background.

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Doctors choose donors based on what is best for their patient. When more than one potential donor is a good HLA match for a patient, doctors will also consider other factors, including the donor’s age. Research shows that younger donors provide the greatest chance for transplant success. Eighteen- to 44-year-olds are called to donate 90% of the time

To most responsibly provide stewardship of our registry and our funds, we must focus on adding registry members most likely to be called to donate to a patient.

Those between the ages of 45 and 60 who want to join the registry are welcome to do so online with a $100 tax-deductible payment.

There are many ways to support the mission of Be The Match®. Learn more.

A: Our total cost to add a new member to the Be The Match Registry is about $100. This includes the cost of the testing needed to match donors to searching patients and related costs.

Be The Match relies on financial contributions to help cover the costs of adding members to the registry. Others have contributed toward the costs for you to join today. However, there are not always enough funds to cover the total costs for everyone who wants to join.

Sometimes new members are asked to pay some of the registration costs when they join. Any amount you give will make it possible for more people like you to join in the future. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

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A: You will receive your testing kit in the mail in about two weeks. If it has been more than three weeks and you have not received your kit, please let us know. We can check the status of your kit. You can call us at 1 (800) 654-1247. We’re available to answer your call 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday. If you call when we’re not available, you can leave a message and we’ll return your call.

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A: When you return your kit, a lab will test the sample from your kit. When the processing of your kit is complete, you will officially be listed on the Be The Match Registry. This process usually takes about two months, but the time can vary depending on the number of new members joining the registry each month. Once the testing process is complete, you will then receive your membership card by mail within a few weeks.

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A: You can call us at 1 (800) 654-1247. We’re available to answer your call 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central time, Monday through Friday. If you call when we’re not available, you can leave a message and we’ll return your call.

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