Planning for Your Transplant

If your doctor has recommended a bone marrow or cord blood transplant (also called a BMT) to treat your disease, you have many things to think about. You'll want to try to prepare yourself and your family for the challenges ahead.

• Preparing for Transplant

You may want to learn more about different transplant centers before choosing where to be treated. If you need an unrelated donor or cord blood unit for your transplant, your transplant center will begin the donor search.

• Choosing a Transplant Center
• The Search Process
• HLA Matching: Finding the Best Donor or Cord Blood Unit

You will need someone to be your caregiver — the person who helps care for you during and after your transplant. You can also plan how you will manage the costs of your transplant.

• What to Think About When Selecting a Caregiver
• Planning for Transplant Costs
• Calculating Additional Transplant Expenses

Your main concern should be your health and getting better. As you learn more about the challenges ahead, NMDP staff can help you to work through insurance questions and coverage issues and act as an advocate on your behalf. Contact the NMDP and ask for a confidential case manager.

To contact the National Marrow Donor Program Office of Patient Advocacy: Inside the United States, call 1 (888) 999-6743. This call is toll-free in the United States. Outside the United States, call 1 (612) 627-8140. This call may have long-distance or international charges. NMDP OPA staff are available Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. You can also send an e-mail message to patientinfo@nmdp.org.