Record number of stem cell donations in the Netherlands last year

A record number of Dutch residents donated stem cells last year to help patients with leukemia and other life-threatening blood disorders. Stichting Matchis, the Dutch center for stem cell donors, reported 285 donations in 2024. Including German donors who donated stem cells in Nijmegen, the total reached 323.

“This continues the upward trend that began ten years ago,” Matchis stated. However, the organization expressed concern about future growth. The number of people willing to donate is no longer increasing as rapidly, and the foundation anticipates many donors will leave the registry in the coming years due to aging. The board emphasized the need for significant efforts to expand and rejuvenate the donor pool.

Stem cell transplants are most effective when the cells come from young donors, preferably under 35 years old. The survival rate for patients is highest in such cases. The maximum age for potential donors is set at 55 years.

For leukemia patients, stem cell transplantation is often the last resort. The likelihood of finding a suitable donor within a patient’s family is approximately 30 percent. For other patients, a global stem cell donor database is used to identify a match. Once a match is found, the donor is contacted to provide stem cells either through blood collection or a bone marrow extraction. The Dutch donor registry currently includes 420,000 individuals who have signed up to help patients in need.