Urgently wanted: stem cell donor for Friederike in Schwerin!

Urgently wanted: stem cell donor for Friederike in Schwerin!

In Germany, someone gets the diagnosis of blood cancer every twelve minutes, and the history of the 60-year-old Friederike F. from Schwerin is particularly tragic. In May 2024 she was diagnosed with leukemia. After a first treatment with chemotherapy, blood cancer returned almost a year later, and Friederike is now urgently dependent on a stem cell donation in order to secure its chances of survival. This Friday, from 12 noon to 4 p.m., family and friends of Friederike organize a registration campaign in the "Tisch Coworking & Café" at Wittenburger Strasse 16a. Interested parties between the ages of 17 and 55 should register here as a stem cell donor.

The [NDR] (https://www.ndr.de/mecklenburg-vorpommern/westmecklenburg/stammzellenspender-fuer-friederike-schafts-kutchenin-schwerin, mvregioschwerin-444.html) reports that such registration actions are more urgent than ever, since around 22,000 people in Germany die from leukemia every year. In this disease, leukocytes multiply, which often requires a stem cell transplant for treatment. The chance of a suitable donation is crucial and the search for a suitable donor depends on various cell characteristics. A suitable donor can be the last hope for many people.

How does the stem cell donation work?

But how does the stem cell donation actually work? According to the DKMS, there are two main methods: the peripheral stem cell removal and bone marrow removal. The peripheral stem cell removal is used in about 90 percent of the cases. Here, stem cells are obtained from the blood via apheresis, similar to dialysis. To do this, access is placed in both arm veins. The donors receive medication for five days to stimulate the production of stem cells. The removal itself takes three to five hours, and donors can usually leave the clinic on the same day.

The bone marrow removal, on the other hand, is only used in about 10 percent of cases and is under general anesthesia. An approximately liter of bone marrow is taken from the pelvic crest. Although there can be some aftermath of local pain, the bone marrow regenerates within a few weeks.

Why is donations so important?

stem cells play a crucial role in the formation of all blood cells in the body. Red blood cells transport oxygen while our white blood cells combat infections. In the case of leukeman treatment, the malignant cells and the patient's blood are initially destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation before the actual transplantation. This is where the donor's stem cells come into play, which are supplied to the recipient by infusion and build a new blood -forming system.

The [ZDF] (https://www.zdfheute.de/ratberger/gesundheit/stammzellenpende-blutkaemie-leukaemie-stemmelle- Therapy-100.html) emphasizes that younger donors can increase the chances of success of the transplantation. Only 25 percent of the registered donors are between 18 and 30 years old, but do 65 percent of the donations. In view of this, it is all the more important that even a large number of young people register for help.

If you are between 17 and 55 years old, go to the registration campaign in Schwerin on Friday. Perhaps you are the one who can enable Friederike and many others a new way of life. Together we can contribute to the fact that such heartbreaking stories become a rarity.