From intention to action – more people can help save lives

Over the past year, engagement in stem cell donation continued to grow in Sweden. More than 20,000 new people joined the registry, and a total of 281 stem cell donations were carried out – each donation a potentially life-saving intervention for a patient in need of a transplant.

A new survey from Verian shows that awareness of stem cell donation is relatively high among young people in Sweden. 74 percent of people between 18 and 35 say they are aware of the Tobias Registry, and just over a third can imagine becoming donors. This indicates a fundamental willingness to help others.

However, there is still room to further strengthen engagement. The target group for new recruitment is people between 16 and 35 years of age, a group that includes around three million Swedes. At present, approximately 170,000 people in this age group are registered in the Tobias Registry. More registrations increase the chances of finding matches and thereby give more patients the opportunity to receive treatment.

It is particularly important to reach younger people, since the likelihood of becoming a potential donor is higher between the ages of 18 and 30. At the same time, there is potential to reach more groups that are currently underrepresented, especially people with non-European backgrounds.

With continued information efforts and increased knowledge about how donation works, there is a good chance that more people will choose to take the step. Every new person who joins the Tobias Registry helps to strengthen and broaden the register – and can ultimately be crucial for someone waiting for a life-saving transplant.