Diversity in Stem Cell Donors Crucial for Aplastic Anemia Patients
Kaiya Endo, an 18-year-old diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a rare blood condition, is in urgent need of a stem cell transplant. However, finding a suitable donor is challenging due to her unique ethnicity (50% Japanese, 50% Caucasian) and the limited options for treatment. The risk of relapse is high, making a bone marrow transplant the only viable solution. Endo is now on Be the Match's stem cell donor registry, which emphasizes the need for diverse donors as matching is done genetically. If a match is found, Endo will undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and immunosuppressive therapy before receiving the stem cells. The struggle highlights the importance of ethnic diversity in the donor pool to increase the odds of finding a match for patients in need.