World Marrow Donor Day was set up by World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) to let all the countries arranges a campaign to thank stem cell volunteer donors around the world. At present, there are over 38 million volunteers registered as a stem cell volunteer donor. Since 2002, Thai National Stem Cell Donor Registry (TSCDR), National Blood Centre, Thai Red Cross Society is assigned by The Medical Council of Thailand to provide matched unrelated stem cell volunteer donors for the patients by establishing Thai National Stem Cell Donor Registry (TSCDR). Over 18 years, there were 265,605 volunteers registered as a stem cell volunteer donor. Altogether, there were 1,872 Thai patients requested for searching matched unrelated stem cell donor and 398 donors donated stem cell to the patients.
The National Blood Centre, the Thai Red Cross Society, has organized a World Stem Cell Donor Week from 7 – 19 September 2020 to celebrate the success of obtaining more than 38 million stem cell donors worldwide. Also, to show the appreciation to stem cell donors and stem cell donating volunteers. This year, Thai National Stem Cell Donor Registry, arranged a special activity to thank those who donated stem cells to patients which led to stem cell transplant treatments. On September 13, 2020, the Special activity was a “Buddhist merit-making trip to thank the stem cell donors” bringing the stem cell donors and also stem cell followers over 110 persons to trace back the history of Ayutthaya. This included visiting the Bang Pa-in Palace, making merit, paying homage to the Buddha image, exploring the history of the Portuguese community during the Ayutthaya period and having lunch by the river with a special surprise “thank you letter” from patients who received a stem cell transplant from a stem cell donor. Before the end the trip, the donors were brought to visit the famous Ayutthaya market, the Khong Khong market. To be a stem cell donation volunteer you can register at Thai National Stem Cell Donor Registry, the National Blood Centre, the Thai Red Cross Society and the four Regional Blood Centres (Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Nakhon Ratchasima). To Celebrate the World Stem Cell donor day, participants will receive “working to find a true stem cell partner” shopping bag as a souvenir. There were 1,516 participants registered in this activity, and 1,012 volunteers who donated stem cells previously who visited the activity and donated blood. There were also an activity for stem cell donors, stem cell donating volunteers, and blood donors to join on the Facebook Fan page of the National Blood Centre, the Thai Red Cross Society, such as check-in photography with the hashtag #WMDD2020 #thankyoudonor, and activities to change their Facebook profile picture frames in 2 styles, in order to show the world that “I am a stem cell donation volunteer” and “THANK YOU STEM CELLS DONOR 2020”, those who participated could also receive a lucky souvenir. There were 468 people that participated in this activity. In addition, Thai National Stem Cell Donor Registry also arranged the Thank You Donor activity on Social Media to raise awareness about stem cell donation to help patients with blood disease with 3 online exhibitions:
Series 1 – What are Stem Cells,
Series 2 – Finding a true partner … from a stem cell donation volunteer, and
Series 3 – Stem cell transplantation, a way to create new life for patients with blood disease.
It was viewed more than 80,097 times, including a VDO to invite people to celebrate World Stem Cell Donor Day and to thank stem cell donors and stem cell donation volunteers who helped increase treatment opportunities for patients with blood disease. The VDO has more than 52,009 views.
