OtherHalf – Chinese Stem Cell Initiative

Who is OtherHalf?

• Grassroots organization established in 2008 to raise awareness of the urgent need for more Chinese Canadians in the stem cell donor registry.

• Registered charity with Canada Revenue Agency with offices in Toronto & Vancouver.

• A Community Partner of OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, a division of Canadian Blood Services.

OtherHalf’s Mission

• To help increase the number of stem cell donations to Chinese patients by educating and recruiting committed unrelated donors into the network

Who needs Stem Cell Donation?

• Adults and children with life threatening diseases– leukemia– aplastic anemia– immune

system/metabolic disorders

Why the urgency?

• Only 25 % of patients will find a match from a sibling for transplant.

• Therefore, 75% of patients need stem cells from an unrelated donor.

• Patients are mostly likely to find their match from donors of same ethnicity.

• Chinese are under represented in the global stem cell database: 4% Chinese vs. 85% Caucasians

• About 20% of Chinese patients can find a match

The case for better donor registry in Canada

• Today, most Canadian patients undergoing stem cell transplants need to “import” donated stem cell from another country.

• If a donor can be found in the OneMatch donor registry, the time it takes to confirm donation and proceed to transplant would be much shorter. This improves the patient’s prognosis.

• Importing stem cells costs tax payers more money than using stem cells from fellow Canadians.

Number of Chinese Canadian Searchables*

* according to data from OneMatch

OneMatch donor registryGlobal donor database (bmdw.org)

Stem Cell Donor Network

% Chance of finding a donor

Why we need your help

Current Patients(33 Chinese patients in Canada)

Patients whose “HLA Twin” gave them the Gift of Life

In Memoriam

Carolyn Tam1970 - 2009

Steve Pho1987 - 2010

Jason Cheung1987 - 2010

Janet Leung1985 - 2012

How can YOU help?

Between 17 – 35, register as stem cell donor today

Tell 5 friends to sign up @ www.OneMatch.ca

www.facebook.com/ChineseStemCell

Volunteer at our drives

Fundraise for OtherHalf

BE THE ONE…to help save a life

www.ChineseStemCell.ca

/ChineseStemCell