Pillar 1 - Boost Stem Cell Donations

It’s another day for Emily, one of the 17 nurses at the DKMS Collection Center in Cologne, Germany. As donors start to arrive, she takes care of what matters most: making them feel comfortable, informed, and heard. Her involvement starts early on, during the preliminary examination weeks before the actual donation.

“We take the time to explain the mobilization process and check how people are feeling,” Emily explains. “We take our time and really focus on each individual and their needs.”

Three to four weeks before their donation, donors come to the Collection Center for their preliminary check-up. They are also given information material, watch videos about the donation process, and meet the coordination team. Then they are called in to the consultation room, where Emily and a doctor examine their general health, check their vital signs, explain the medication, and answer any questions they may have. Diyar, a donor we met after his examination, told us: “I felt well looked after right from the beginning. The call beforehand and the videos about the donation process really put my mind at rest.”

Prior to the donation itself, donors prepare by taking G-CSF (granulocyte-colony stimulating factor) on five days in a row. The G-CSF causes stem cells to be released into the bloodstream and can have mild, flu-like side effects.

On the fifth day of receiving the medication, the actual donation takes place – and that’s when Laura, a donation nurse, comes in. First thing in the morning, Laura welcomes each donor individually. Often, they bring headphones or a book with them, and sometimes even a lucky charm. Laura sets the needle, monitors the donor’s vital signs, and makes sure everything runs smoothly. “We chat with our donors a lot,” she smiles. “Everyone is different: some need reassurance, some want to know every detail.”

“With the medication, I didn’t feel too great, but I was expecting that thanks to the great preparation, so it was OK,” says Marvin, speaking to us while donating his stem cells. “I know I am in caring and capable hands.”

“If I had blood cancer, I’d hope someone would do the same for me,” he adds

Every day, up to fourteen donors come in to donate. The nurses and twelve doctors rotate between pre-examinations and collections, ensuring everyone feels OK. “At the end of the day, you’ve done a great thing,” says Laura, “and when we hear it helped someone, it means the world to us.”

Whether in Germany or Chile, our DKMS Collection Centers are guided by one principle: treat every donor with empathy, professionalism, respect, and care.

Medical and scientific progress over the past decades has significantly advanced our understanding of stem cell transplantation. Today, physicians know that young donors, especially those aged between 18 and 25, provide the highest possible quality of stem cells¹. That’s why they are the donors of choice for patients in need of a transplant.

Although only 11 percent of the DKMS donor pool is aged 17–25, this group accounts for an impressive 39 percent of all donor requests made by transplant centers and search coordinators, as shown in the graph. This imbalance highlights the high demand for young donors, and the urgent need to increase their share in the registry.

¹Schetelig, J., et al. Young unrelated donors confer a survival advantage for patients with myeloid malignancies compared to older siblings. Leukemia 2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41375-025-02724-1

But who are these young potential donors?

Today’s young people are growing up in a world shaped by rapid change, global crises, and constant digital connectedness. They came of age during a pandemic, care deeply about social justice, and expect authenticity and purpose from the brands and causes they support. Whether scrolling on their phones, connecting online, or raising awareness through creative content, they are vocal, well-informed, and values-driven. For us at DKMS, it is crucial to engage with young people in our lifesaving mission, as transplant physicians often prefer stem cells from younger donors. What’s more, they will stay on our books for longer – which increases the likelihood of them actually making a donation.

How can we reach them?

Considering this question, we asked ourselves two key things:

• How can we inspire young people to become stem cell donors?
• How can we meet them where they are, understand their needs and expectations, and get them involved?

A look at their social media habits provides a clue: these potential lifesavers spend hours scrolling, swiping, liking, and streaming. Whether on the couch at home, on a bus, in a restaurant, they are constantly online. So, we need posts, videos, and campaigns that cut through the noise and really grab their attention. We need to meet them where they are, in their reality, and get the message across that they could be the perfect match for a patient with blood cancer somewhere in the world.

Listening to young people

To better understand and reach out to young people, we set up an inter-departmental team called Team Young Gen. They adopted a unique approach to their research, inviting young colleagues from within our organization to act as a sounding board. Together, they explored how young people think and act, and worked out what would motivate them to save a stranger’s life.

The donor journey – step by step

The journey of a young donor starts with awareness, understanding our mission, and recognizing the lifesaving impact they can make. The first active step is to register. Then, they swab the insides of their cheeks with the swab set we provide and send their samples to be analyzed at the world’s largest HLA typing laboratory: our DKMS Life Science Lab in Dresden. When everything is set up, they receive their HLA data and access to a personalized section of our website, where they can update their details and stay connected. These digital touchpoints allow us to build trust, maintain engagement, and ensure that when a young person is called upon to donate, they feel informed, supported, and ready to take action.

Engaging with them where they are

We meet young people where they live, study, and connect – at schools, universities, sports clubs, online platforms, and festivals. Our messages are relatable and reinforced by real-life stories that resonate. We also work closely with young volunteers who serve as trusted ambassadors. By integrating interactive formats like workshops, social media challenges, and meetups with donors and patients, we create shared experiences that foster trust and inspire action. Team Young Gen is more than a recruitment project, it’s a long-term investment in the future of stem cell donation. Because by involving young people early and amplifying their voices, we are building a strong, committed donor base for the years ahead.