Chinese stem cell donors desperately needed - What are your reasons for not donating?

[d182]

Now which RFDers are willing to step up to the plate:idea: Honestly, I didn't even know they take stem cell donations. I've considered donating blood before, but never bothered - I don't think I'm alone on that front! I remember all those blood donor clinics conveniently showing up at the student centre during undergrad but I still never bothered. I'd attribute it to the fact that I say I'll do things but forget to follow through on them. Any other reasons for not donating? Because really, there isn't a good reason. We should all be doing it to save lives! And if I ever donate in the future, I'll post some proof on RFD asap :)

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http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/1143429--chinese-stem-cell-donors-desperately-needed-says-canadian-blood-services

"In 2008, a group of Chinese-Canadians launched OtherHalf Chinese Stem Cell Initiative, a charitable group that works to debunk such myths by educating the Chinese community on the need for stem cell donors. It also aims to increase Chinese representation in the international donor pool.

The number of registered Chinese donors in the Canadian stem cell database has since jumped from 2,100 to 17,000, according to OtherHalf, which is planning a nationwide drive on March 31 to register more Chinese-Canadian donors.

But it’s still not enough, said OneMatch executive director Sue Smith."

[kingofwale]

Now which RFDers are willing to step up to the plate:idea: Honestly, I didn't even know they take stem cell donations. I've considered donating blood before, but never bothered - I don't think I'm alone on that front! I remember all those blood donor clinics conveniently showing up at the student centre during undergrad but I still never bothered. I'd attribute it to the fact that I say I'll do things but forget to follow through on them. Any other reasons for not donating? Because really, there isn't a good reason. We should all be doing it to save lives! And if I ever donate in the future, I'll post some proof on RFD asap :)

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http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/1143429--chinese-stem-cell-donors-desperately-needed-says-canadian-blood-services

"In 2008, a group of Chinese-Canadians launched OtherHalf Chinese Stem Cell Initiative, a charitable group that works to debunk such myths by educating the Chinese community on the need for stem cell donors. It also aims to increase Chinese representation in the international donor pool.

The number of registered Chinese donors in the Canadian stem cell database has since jumped from 2,100 to 17,000, according to OtherHalf, which is planning a nationwide drive on March 31 to register more Chinese-Canadian donors.

But it’s still not enough, said OneMatch executive director Sue Smith."

the government really should give out tax rebate to people willing to donate.

we do it for monetary things, why not something way more important, such as blood or stem cell???

[kieum90]

There are many people that are not qualified to donate blood, there are some restrictions to it. ex not enough iron, can't even support their own body, past family diseases etc.

As for me, I'm already on the OneMatch donation list and donate blood twice a year. Unrelated, but I haven't been called for marrow donation but I'm curious how it works out (experience wise).


the government really should give out tax rebate to people willing to donate.

we do it for monetary things, why not something way more important, such as blood or stem cell???

Maybe problems will occur when people start giving out too much blood for money?

[packardbell]

incentives are a good start to drum up interests and participation but at the end someone will think of a way to bleed the system and make money out of it.

[007craft]

Im not chinese. Thats my reason

[laptopuser]

ive donated blood twice. i think most people are busy and never find the time for it.

[setell]

Any other reasons for not donating? Because really, there isn't a good reason. We should all be doing it to save lives! And if I ever donate in the future, I'll post some proof on RFD asap :)

You REALLY need to be less narrow minded as to why some folks can't donate. I personally cannot donate for MEDICAL reasons. Is that reason good enough for you? I can't donate blood either.

[d182]

You REALLY need to be less narrow minded as to why some folks can't donate. I personally cannot donate for MEDICAL reasons. Is that reason good enough for you? I can't donate blood either.

I should've said PERSONALLY there's no good reason for ME not to donate as I should be healthy enough to donate.

[slowtyper]

Maybe RFD could organize some event with canadian blood services or whoever does stem cell donations (I'm not going to pretend to know what that means). Would be some good publicity for yellow pages.

[stealth]

Everybody has to die eventually



No joke




-

That's kind of a ***** response, ESP in light of your signature.
One could say the same about pets ( and they'd be just as much of a ***** ).

[ItechJester]

According to the article, Chinese donors seem to be doing their share:


In Canada, Chinese donors represent just over 5 per cent of the national donor database, even though they are less than 5 per cent of the population.


obviously you want the numbers to go up, but Chinese donors seem to be doing their part.

the poor girl in the article suffers from a rare disease, and unfortunately since she is mixed, will have a harder time finding a match because she is biracial.

[Ottomaddox]

Maybe problems will occur when people start giving out too much blood for money?

The problem is that when you turn blood/plasma/platelet/whatever donations into a financial transaction instead of a 'selfless act for the benefit of humanity', people are less motivated to donate. After all, let's be honest, it's not a particularly pleasant process, and the $10-20 you'd get wouldn't be adequate compensation.
It also encourages people to lie to get around the screening questions that would disqualify them.

[BongoBong]

the poor girl in the article suffers from a rare disease, and unfortunately since she is mixed, will have a harder time finding a match because she is biracial.

hmmmm I guess as a halfer myself I should donate or get put on the list.

[Dilton]

Hasn't anyone discovered how to make synthetic blood yet that can mimic all the functions of real blood 100%? What are those lazy researchers waiting for?

[projectmoonlightcafe]

I'm in the One Match database.

[kenchau66]

I strongly adhere to Darwin's theory of natural selection.

I think that these people should not be saved. Admittedly, if I were to have this disorder, and they had a donor for me, I would take it as my self-interest to live as long as possible would override my adherence to the theory. However, if there wasn't a donor for me, I would gladly accept my fate and thus eliminate myself from the gene pool (assuming I won't have any children by then).

[slowtyper]

I never knew that mixed-race children have this problem. I always assumed mix-race children were strengthening the gene pool.

[Ottomaddox]

Hasn't anyone discovered how to make synthetic blood yet that can mimic all the functions of real blood 100%? What are those lazy researchers waiting for?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mbsh2L_WuGk/TZDarrv1_UI/AAAAAAAABqk/RyefTHPVWnU/s1600/trueblood.jpg

[sandikosh]

I never knew that mixed-race children have this problem. I always assumed mix-race children were strengthening the gene pool.

You assumed wrong!

[flashy_mcflash]

I strongly adhere to Darwin's theory of natural selection.

I think that these people should not be saved. Admittedly, if I were to have this disorder, and they had a donor for me, I would take it as my self-interest to live as long as possible would override my adherence to the theory. However, if there wasn't a donor for me, I would gladly accept my fate and thus eliminate myself from the gene pool (assuming I won't have any children by then).

Interesting. So you've never been to a doctor or dentist? Never intervened in any way with natural selection? No medication, never a band aid or dab of alcohol on a cut? Anything that an animal can't do is an interference with natural selection. Why are children a mitigating factor? Animals reproduce and die shortly after in nature all the time - natural selection!

[kenchau66]

Interesting. So you've never been to a doctor or dentist? Never intervened in any way with natural selection? No medication, never a band aid or dab of alcohol on a cut? Anything that an animal can't do is an interference with natural selection. Why are children a mitigating factor? Animals reproduce and die shortly after in nature all the time - natural selection!

So much flawed parallel reasoning on this forum. Going to the doctor/dentist, healing minor injuries are distinguishable from a stem cell transplant because the latter, if not given to the patient, will result in death while the former would not. Choose a relevant comparator group of disorders and I'll reply.

Furthermore,
1) my self-interest to survive trumps my adherence to the theory
2) exception applies to my future off-springs and I only
3) nature can do anybody in, I don't care about them

[Piro21]

So much flawed parallel reasoning on this forum. Going to the doctor/dentist, healing minor injuries are distinguishable from a stem cell transplant because the latter, if not given to the patient, will result in death while the former would not. Choose a relevant comparator group of disorders and I'll reply.

Furthermore,
1) my self-interest to survive trumps my adherence to the theory
2) exception applies to my future off-springs and I only
3) nature can do anybody in, I don't care about them


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infection
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gangrene

Not going to the doctor won't result in death? Have you ever had any sort of vaccine, ever?

I like your convenient little qualifier at the end though. It's fine if you do it, but not fine for anyone else to help anyone else do it. Same position taken by those religious fundamentalist women regarding abortion: http://mypage.direct.ca/w/writer/anti-tales.html

[manixc]

Would it hurt if I donate stem cell??

[cdsrye]

The procedure normally done is similar to donating blood. The major difference is you're given a compound, G-CSF, that stimulates your bone marrow to produce stem cells and mobilize them from the bone marrow to the blood. After a period of time you're hooked up to a machine that is able to separate the stem cells/white blood cells from some of the other components of your blood (red blood cells, plasma etc) which are then put back into your body. So pretty much you get a few needles and you're done, maybe some side effects from the G-CSF, but nothing to really worry about.


Would it hurt if I donate stem cell??

[kingofwale]

There are many people that are not qualified to donate blood, there are some restrictions to it. ex not enough iron, can't even support their own body, past family diseases etc.

As for me, I'm already on the OneMatch donation list and donate blood twice a year. Unrelated, but I haven't been called for marrow donation but I'm curious how it works out (experience wise).



Maybe problems will occur when people start giving out too much blood for money?

there isn't a database to check how many times you've donated?? Come on!!!!

Until we give incentive to people, we will be short on blood, always!


also, when will we start to make synthetic blood?

Do you see people ripping parts from a new car to repair an old one? (well, doesn't count if you stole the new car. ;)

[FunSave22]

Until we give incentive to people, we will be short on blood, always!

No.

We don't give incentives today, and we rarely have blood shortages. And whenever there is a shortage, they just make a public call for more donors and it always or nearly always works.

[kingofwale]

No.

We don't give incentives today, and we rarely have blood shortages. And whenever there is a shortage, they just make a public call for more donors and it always or nearly always works.

yeah, 'rare' shortage in a day where a country experiences no disaster or war is 'good' for you? What happened if there's some kind of "mishap" in society??

clearly it's a system where quantity demanded =/= quantity supply.

argue as much as you may, without some kind of incentive and base purely on generosity, you will NEVER achieve an equilibrium.

[FunSave22]

yeah, 'rare' shortage in a day where a country experiences no disaster or war is 'good' for you?
Yes.



What happened if there's some kind of "mishap" in society??
You put out a call for more donors.



argue as much as you may, without some kind of incentive and base purely on generosity, you will NEVER achieve an equilibrium.
Canada almost never has a shortage of blood. And when there is one, it's nearly always quickly rectified. These are the facts.

[kingofwale]

Yes.



You put out a call for more donors.



Canada almost never has a shortage of blood. And when there is one, it's nearly always quickly rectified. These are the facts.

like I said... having to put out a call for more blood in the days of tranquility, isn't exactly an 'ideal' situation for anything.

what if we suffers a mass earthquake like the one in Japan, how will our supply system look then?

[FunSave22]

what if we suffers a mass earthquake like the one in Japan, how will our supply system look then?
I have no clue.


But I don't see blood shortages being a huge concern. Blood can be shipped in from other parts of the country. And it's not like we have an unlimited supply of medical personnel and medical equipment to administer blood.

We're not going to have a situation where we are trying to give blood to 10,000 people simultaneously in a disaster zone. We simply don't have the medical resources to do that even if we had the blood. So the fact that we can't administer a massive amount of blood all at once will give time for more blood to be collected across the country and transported to where it's needed.

[kingofwale]

I have no clue.


But I don't see blood shortages being a huge concern. Blood can be shipped in from other parts of the country. And it's not like we have an unlimited supply of medical personnel and medical equipment to administer blood.

We're not going to have a situation where we are trying to give blood to 10,000 people simultaneously in a disaster zone. We simply don't have the medical resources to do that even if we had the blood. So the fact that we can't administer a massive amount of blood all at once will give time for more blood to be collected across the country and transported to where it's needed.

perfect response. Typical "stick head in sand" approach by the government until all hell breaks loose.

worked for US's financial industry, worked for Greece, and clearly working for us as well.

[FunSave22]

perfect response. Typical "stick head in sand" approach by the government until all hell breaks loose.

worked for US's financial industry, worked for Greece, and clearly working for us as well.
Why do I get the feeling that you are just counting down the days until millions of Canadians spontaneously start spewing blood?


Our blood collection system is fine. There's no reason to paying people to donate blood.

[gr8dlr]

One of the problems with One Match is opportunity to register. Currently, you have to call, answer questions and then wait for kit to do swab....to difficult in my opinion. Alternatively, people need to go to a One Match clinic which periodically pops up.

I'm a regular blood donor. BTW you can donate every two months. It's not difficult and once you go, you can re-book for two months later. For those who want to start donating, just do it, rebook when you show up and then you'll go regularly.

I made a suggestion to the Blood donor staff and I also sent an email suggesting that they have ONE MATCH registration available at every blood donor clinic. They shouldn't make it difficult for people to register. Whenever/wherever there's a blood donor clinic you should be able to One Match Register. I also suggested they should ask all blood donors if they are registered for One Match...kindof like how McDonalds ask would you like fries with that they should say would you like to register.

Their response to my suggestion was thanks..end of story. Bureaucracy over logic....go figure they want people to register but they make it too difficult to do it.

[hugh_da_man]

So much flawed parallel reasoning on this forum. Going to the doctor/dentist, healing minor injuries are distinguishable from a stem cell transplant because the latter, if not given to the patient, will result in death while the former would not. Choose a relevant comparator group of disorders and I'll reply.

Furthermore,
1) my self-interest to survive trumps my adherence to the theory
2) exception applies to my future off-springs and I only
3) nature can do anybody in, I don't care about them

The basic premise of your "theory" is flawed though. Surviving a disease through stem cell treatments is no different than getting antibiotics for some infection that could end up being fatal. And surviving serious disease might be natural selection at work as well.

Your theory sounds more like "I don't want to do anything to help anyone but would gladly accept the help of everyone else if myself or my offspring were to become adversely affected by something that I don't currently care about". It's ok to admit you're lazy and selfish, no one will judge you...

Honestly, you wouldn't help someone in a car accident who could potentially die because you'd think that their ability to save themselves is natural selection at work?

[mysticalinfluence]

I strongly adhere to Darwin's theory of natural selection.

I think that these people should not be saved. Admittedly, if I were to have this disorder, and they had a donor for me, I would take it as my self-interest to live as long as possible would override my adherence to the theory. However, if there wasn't a donor for me, I would gladly accept my fate and thus eliminate myself from the gene pool (assuming I won't have any children by then).

This has to be the most ignorant and uncivilized thing I've heard in my life. So it's also ok if someone bigger and strong beats you to death,robs you because it's natual selection. :facepalm::facepalm:

[jodicyc]

According to the article, Chinese donors seem to be doing their share:




obviously you want the numbers to go up, but Chinese donors seem to be doing their part.

the poor girl in the article suffers from a rare disease, and unfortunately since she is mixed, will have a harder time finding a match because she is biracial.

The no. of Chinese donors did go up ever since the establishment of the charity called OtherHalf - Chinese Stem Cell Initiative (www.chinesestemcell.ca) who works closely with OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network in Canada to boost the number of Chinese registrants. However, it is important to point out that globally, the percentage of Chinese registrants is less than 3% whereas the Chinese population in the world is over 20%! Obviously, there's still a long way to go...

The "best chance" for finding a match is within a patient's own ethnic group, but there're instances where a donor is of a different ethnic background from the patient -- when it's a matter of life and death, whoever our race or whatever our ethnic background is, it's important that we contribute in whatever way that we can in a hope that someone in another part of the world can be saved some day. :-)