• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Go to Expat Living Hong Kong
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Lifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living HomepageLifestyle Guide To Moving To & Living in Singapore - Expat Living

Moving to Singapore and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Singapore.

Menu
  • Living in Singapore
      • Living here
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Schools
      • Property
      • Work And Business
      • Finance
      • For Guys
      • Environment
        • marielleHow digital marketing is changing
        • 2021Back up data and keep safe
        • Puzzle-answers-February-2021Puzzle Pages, March 2021: All the Answers!
        • Wedding BEATRICE CONTRINILove in the time of COVID
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things to do
      • EL Events
      • Calendar
      • Competitions
      • Noticeboard
        • Things to do with dogs in Singapore cute dogFun stuff do with your dogs in Singapore!
        • dog-friendly cafesDog-friendly restaurants, bars and cafés in Singapore
        • cdn.cliqueinc.com__posts__258676__june-horoscopes-2018-258676-1527175331570-image-dd084e9663a848659b54ab1d44e8913aYour Horoscopes for the Month of March!
        • The [Not-So] Convenience Store exhibition National Design CentreWhat’s on this week and beyond
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Enrichment
      • Kids Things To Do
      • Mums & Babies
      • Schools
      • Tots & Toddlers
      • Tweens & Teens
        • Kids scooters mini micro scooter 3in1 Deluxe Plus MixedWhere to buy kids’ scooters & more
        • Child with special needsOccupational Therapy for a Child with Special Needs
        • ServiceSchool activities with a lot of heart
        • kidsChildren’s shops & websites for kids’ clothes, toys etc.
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Decor
      • Readers’ Homes
      • Furniture
        • Arete Culture Black and whtieNot quite a black and white
        • 2021Back up data and keep safe
        • interior decorating cushions for bedrooms5 home décor pieces you shouldn’t overlook
        • SONYHome News: décor, furniture and more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Asia
      • Australia & New Zealand
      • Rest Of World
      • News
      • Travel Offers
        • hotel dealsTravel news + Hotel deals & new launches!
        • places to visit near SingaporeBest short breaks from Singapore
        • DuxtonBest hotels for a staycation in Singapore
        • family-friendly resort family vacation boat12 great spots for a family vacation
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Asian Cuisine
      • Western Cuisine
      • Bars & Clubs
      • Groceries & Speciality Services
      • Recipes & Classes
        • dog-friendly cafesDog-friendly restaurants, bars and cafés in Singapore
        • BaristaNew Nibbles: Foodie news!
        • Bars cheap drinksTop bars for cheap drinks in Singapore
        • best breakfast spots brunch cafe tiong bahru bakery diner19 of the best breakfast spots on the island!
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
      • Beauty Offers
        • women's sandals in singaporeKeeping comfortable & cool!
        • looksmaxxing trend men aesthetic treatmentsMen – are you “looksmaxxing”?
        • RawbroguhtShopping in Singapore – Fashion News
        • ear piercing singaporeWhere to go to get your ears pierced
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Dental
      • Fitness
      • Medical
      • Wellness
        • SParks activeHealth News: What’s up!
        • heavy periods menorrhagia treatmentHeavy periods: How your GP can help
        • comparing health insurance in Singapore doctor and coupleThree tips for comparing health insurance plans
        • COVID-19 vaccination vaccine doctor and womanFAQs about COVID-19 vaccinations
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • PRINT MAGAZINE
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINE
    • BOOKS
    • Close
Home » Health & Fitness » Saving a stranger

Saving a stranger

28th June 2020 by Amy Greenburg 5 Min Read

https://expatliving.sg/how-to-donate-bone-marrow-donor-programme-bmdp-singapore/

An English expat living in Singapore, ZOË HAWKINS was surprised last year by a call from the Bone Marrow Donor Programme (BMDP) – Singapore’s only register of volunteer marrow donors – asking her to donate bone marrow.

It had been more than six years since she’d put her name on the registry at a sign-up drive organised in a friend’s function room – and it was a distant memory. “My friend’s family friend had leukaemia and obviously you just want to help in any way you can,” says Zoë of adding her name to the list back in 2014. “When you finally get the call, you think, ‘Oh, okay, I never thought I’d actually be called upon!’” It turned out Zoë was a match for a leukaemia patient, somewhere in the world, whose only chance for survival was to have a bone marrow transplant.

How to donate bone marrow

Found inside the hollow spaces of large or long bones, bone marrow contains stem cells that produce red and white blood cells, and platelets. Patients with various blood disorders, including leukaemia – a cancer causing rapid production of abnormal white blood cells in the bone marrow – are unable to produce healthy blood cells or the right combination of such cells. Therefore, a bone marrow transplant (also known as a stem cell transplant), which is often a last chance of survival, is done to infuse healthy blood-forming stem cells into the patient’s body to replace damaged or diseased marrow.

Oftentimes, siblings can be matches. But, according to the BMDP, less than one in three patients can find this sibling match. That’s why an international database is used so that organisations can cross-reference donors; it’s key to identifying necessary matches.

Because the chances of being a match to someone you’re not related to vary widely depending on the rarity of the patient’s tissue type, Zoë knew she had to seriously consider the opportunity to save someone’s life.

How to donate bone marrow

There are two methods for bone marrow donation, and donors can opt for their preferred method (with no expenses paid by the donor).

One is a Bone Marrow Collection, where bone marrow is removed from the back of the pelvic bone using a special needle. Though there is no surgery involved, the procedure is done under general anaesthetic and the donor must stay overnight in the hospital.

Keen to avoid the downtime that can come with recovery from general anaesthetic, Zoë opted for the other method: Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection. This is an outpatient procedure in which stem cells are collected from a donor’s bloodstream; blood is drawn from one arm and passed through a machine that separates the blood stem cells. The remaining blood is then returned through the other arm. According to the BMDP, 90 percent of donors choose this donation process. Though there is no downtime and normally no hospital stay involved, the donor must prep his or her body for four days leading up to and on the day of stem cell collection with daily injections to stimulate the production of blood stem cells.

Admittedly, Zoë didn’t feel her best during the few days leading up to the stem cell collection. The daily injections (administered by her GP, as she didn’t want to inject herself) made her feel as though she had a bit of a flu. Still, it was nothing bad enough to stop her from doing her daily activities (“I just had a few more naps!”).

“The rougher you feel, the better. It’s a sign your body is doing what it’s supposed to,” she says. “Also, you ache in your hips because that’s where the bone marrow is primarily.”

On the day of the stem cell collection, Zoë was linked to a machine while lying in bed. With a line in and line out, blood was taken out of one arm and put in a machine that filters out the blood stem cells. Throughout the day, the bags filled up, and the remaining blood was sent back into her other arm (“It’s like a very long blood test!”).

“It was incredible to see what the body can do – and what the machine can do,” says Zoë. For her, it took seven hours to get the right amount of white blood cells and plasma needed for the recipient.“I was linked up at about 8am and done by around 4pm. Everything was sent to the lab at 4.30pm, and by 6.30pm we knew there was enough. I was at home on my sofa by 8.30pm!”

Though she was a bit sore and tired in the days following the procedure, Zoë says she could still do everything she needed to do. “In the end, it was just 12 hours in the oncology ward. It was really nice to do something meaningful and it was really nice to do something to help people,” she says. “I was on such a high – I was the lucky one because I was a match.”

She adds, “It’s really humbling spending a day in an oncology ward. It puts things in perspective, especially living here in Singapore where we tend to be so spoiled and take things for granted.”

how to donate bone marrow

How you can help donate bone marrow

“It’s important to hear from someone who’s done it,” says Zoë; “to hear them say, ‘Yeah, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s not unbearable; it’s a bit scary, but not too scary.’ She would do it again in a heartbeat to save a life, too.

While it may seem like a bizarre concept to some – after all, it is volunteering to help a stranger despite the discomfort and inconvenience – this act of kindness can be the difference between life and death for a patient, and a beacon of hope for the patient’s family.

In Singapore, anyone in good health between the ages of 17 and 49 can sign up as a marrow donor. To register, you can apply online at bmdp.org/be-adonor. Normally, a kit will be sent to your home and all you need to do is a simple cheek swab and mail it back. However, due to the COVID-19 situation, the BMDP team will not be dispatching swab kits until the situation improves. Nevertheless, it’s still a great idea to put in a request, and the team will be in touch.

In the event that you’re identified as a match, a BMDP coordinator will get in touch to answer any questions; in fact, the coordinator will be with you every step of the way.

To find out more, visit bmdp.org

This article first appeared in the June 2020 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!

Categories: Health & Fitness Medical Tags: How to donate bone marrow

Amy Greenburg

Originally from Los Angeles, Amy is passionate about Netflix, sipping rosé at rooftop bars, travelling, and all things health and wellness-related. She enjoys learning about different health topics through her writing, particularly critical health conditions, food allergies, alternative therapies, and pregnancy and postpartum-related issues

You May Also Like

heavy periods menorrhagia treatment

Heavy periods: How your GP can help

COVID-19 vaccination vaccine doctor and woman

FAQs about COVID-19 vaccinations

type of exercise by age group

What type of exercise is good for each age group?

Primary Sidebar

Expat Living Singapore 🇸🇬

expatlivingsg

Open
Launched in late 2019, Ollie, a locally female owned brand of eco-conscious essential oils, have launched a diverse range of new products to meet the growing needs of their customers.

The brand launched right before the pandemic and was well-received by its fast growing customer base. 

Since the launch they have added some beautiful products to their 100% pure essential oil range. 

Their signature product range consisting of a natural Yoga Mat Sanitiser, Hand Sanitiser and Mosquito Repellent Spray has a new addition; an aromatherapeutic Room Mist which is a blend of floral, minty essential oils and has anti-bacterial and fungal fighting properties. Essential oils of Lavender, Geranium, Peppermint, Eucalyptus are used as main ingredients to create a calming and refreshing experience for the user. This portable Room Mist is safe to be used in cars, on linens and even directly on skin.

Rithika Gupta, Founder, Ollie said, “With consumers increasingly adopting 
environment-friendly ways of life, there is a visible shift towards healthier and organic alternatives. Ollie is our way of helping consumers harness the power of essential oils while supporting their eco-conscious lifestyles. Our signature products are meant to help them use natural products that fulfill their daily needs without the hassle of creating DIY essential oil blends from scratch. The brand is committed to sustainable practices and sources directly from local farmers and eco-friendly distillers. To ensure a green supply chain, they oversee the production at every critical stage and use sustainable packaging for their products.
Open
Alcohol in Singapore is expensive, as you probably know… so we’ve have tracked down some great bars that will help you get more drinks for your dollar! 

Check out the awesome guide (link on our stories) for the best bars and restaurants across the island that offer cheap drinks or great happy hour deals. Go forth and be merry! And, for a date night with a view, check out our round-ups of rooftop bars and other cool bars around town all on our website!

Note: These promotions are subject to changes. Please visit the bar’s social media page or drop them a call to confirm the deals
Open
*** March Giveaway** Is your home ready for a refresh, but you aren’t sure where to begin? 

This could be your lucky day! Known for its luxurious and eclectic style, The Cinnamon Room offers an extensive collection of artisan-crafted home décor that’s bound to add a touch of flair to your space. The store’s popular signature hide rug collection is handmade using high-grade, ethically-sourced hides. They’re as durable as they are stylish – red wine and coffee stains simply wipe away, making these low-pile beauties an effortless solution for any area of the home.

This month, we’ll be selecting one special reader to enjoy a 90-minute home consultation with The Cinnamon Room’s founder and designer Visha Nelson. What’s more, you’ll also receive a $900 voucher to use towards a rug of your choice!

To stand a chance to win, all you need to do is follow us on Instagram (@expatlivingsg) and @thecinnamonroom and click below to enter or check out our stories for the link! expatliving.sg/wccr/

The competition closes on 31 March, so hurry and enter now!

#homedecor #rugs #beautifuldesign #singapore #awardwinning #expatlivingsg #thecinnamonroom #hollandvillageshowroom
Open
Check out what's inside our March issue! To get a copy delivered to you, visit 👉 expatliving.sg/mag/ig

In this issue, we feature our best finds to make your bedroom look and feel great. Check out two renovated homes, get an insider’s view of Siglap, and discover useful tips and trends on the property rental market. There's plenty more too, including delicious Mexican food, top quality meat, cool fashion, fab facials and fragrances to try. 

🎁 Plus, there's a bonus mini guide on Preschools!
Open
We think home-grown label Love, Bonito’s fourth loungewear collection is super cute! 

Whether you’re in bed, at home lounging, or out and about, find comfort in effortless pieces of super-soft separates and one-pieces.

Get the complete package with matching accessories - plush slippers as the latest addition - and twinning pieces for your 
mini-mes.

Love, Bonito Loungewear is priced between S$9.90 to S$41.90 and available from lovebonito.com and in-stores island wide
Open
Photographs are some of our most prized possessions so we wanted you to meet Tekkie Help experts Sarah and Bo who are passionate about helping people keep photos (and data) safe. 

They feel that organising, managing and protecting our digital photos should be a top priority. Their number one piece of advice...create a centralised location where photos are stored in full-size resolution. 

Click on our stories for a handy guide to creating a Digital Photo Hub of your own 📷
Open
** Friday Giveaway**

Are you looking to revitalise your skin? 🤔
Well, today is your lucky day! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
We have TWO Visible-repair Replenishing Eye Cream and Galvanic Intensifier sets from @flesette to give away!

Bring the spa to your home with this great bundle, which consists of two tubes of eye cream and the reusable Intensifier, which attaches to the eye cream and gently vibrates and massages the thin, sensitive skin around the eyes, improving absorption and helping to turn back the clock! 

Use it to combat any or all of the below:

PREMATURE AGEING ⏳
 
DULL SKIN 😑
 
FINE LINES + WRINKLES 👵🏻

EYE BAGS + DARK CIRCLES 🐼

How to join? 
1. Follow @expatliving and @flesette 
2. Tag a friend who you want to give the other set to 
3. Go to expatliving.sg/VRRECGIS and enter your details 

Giveaway ends 4 March. Good luck! 
 
*
*
*
*
*
#expatlivingsg 
#youthfulskin 
#Flesette 
#singapore 
#expatlife 
#fridaygiveaway 
#beautifulskin
Open
No doubt you’ve been out walking around Singapore more than usual lately and maybe you’ve noticed more plants than you do when zipping by in a car, but what are they exactly? 

There are so many different types of flowers, trees and other plants in Singapore – some are native, but heaps have been imported over the years. 

Take a look on our stories for a handful of pretty pics and a cool website link from NParks to satisfy your curiosity.

Here are some interesting facts about plant numbers in Singapore...

• 4712 flora species
• 88 tree families
• 1,689 tree species
• 259 heritage trees

🌸 🌳 🪴
Open
Order your copy of the March issue here 👉 expatliving.sg/mag/ig

Inside, we feature our best finds to make your bedroom look and feel great. Check out two renovated homes, get an insider’s view of Siglap, and discover useful tips and trends on the property rental market and plenty more, including delicious Mexican food, top quality meat, cool fashion, fab facials and fragrances to try. 

📕 Plus, there's a bonus mini guide on Preschools!
Open
Now facelifts can be non-surgical and non-invasive which we love.

This facelift in Singapore uses painless High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU).

How it works.....
HIFU uses ultrasound technology to reach three different depths of the skin, in order to deliver focused beams of 60 to 70 degrees Celsius without disrupting the skin surface. These beams will melt the fats in the face, while tightening the skin and boosting collagen production; this allows your skin to continually lift and tone after the treatment. 

We thought this was super cool so we tried it out. Read the full review on our stories
Open
If you’ve just arrived (or been here a while) and wondering where to buy furniture in Singapore, we’ve pulled together this huge list of the best furniture shops on the red dot for you to start on! 

This comprehensive guide to Singapore furniture stores covers all areas, budgets and decorating tastes. 

There’s furniture shops for Asian, contemporary, chic, recycled and vintage furniture. So, whether you’re after a good sofa, antique lamp, modern dining table or a cute kid’s bed, grab a coffee and get scrolling via the link on our stories
Open
** Friday Giveaway**

Win a fabulous Glam Makeover & a 1 to 1 Makeup Workshop worth $350! 

How to join? 🤔

👉🏻Follow @expatlivingag and @falakamaar 
👉🏻tag the person who you want to win- it can also be you! 
It’s that easy! 

Falak Amaar is a Singapore based MUA trained and certified by celebrity Makeup artists (for Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande to name a few) Mario Dedivanovic and Samer Khouzami (aka the king of contouring)

She loves to share the techniques she has learnt from the Makeup Maestros in 1 to 1 as well as group makeup workshops and uses them to create the most natural to the most transformative looks.

She regularly posts videos for simple makeup tips and tricks on her Instagram & Facebook Page along with the stunning makeup looks she creates for her clients.
*
*
*
*
*
#makeup
#Falakaar 
#expatlivingsg
#singapore 
#expats
#beautifulmakeup 
#makeupartistsg
Open
In Singapore, the year-round summer weather means you can’t do without swimwear, and you’ll need a few. It’s a hard life! 

Whether you are wondering where to buy a bikini or a full swimsuit, or even something more sporty for swimming laps there’s a good range of shopping options. 

The round up (link on our stories) includes the best online and physical stores to buy swimwear for women of all shapes and sizes 👙
Open
After four years in Kampong Bahru, local eyelash extensions studio The Lash Company has shifted to a bigger and brighter space in Holland Village! We visited the new salon to review their eyelash extensions service.

Read the reviews on our stories
Open
Looking for a house in Singapore? 

We asked the Expat Team at real estate company Knight Frank to give us some insider tips for a home search and to reflect on some of the property trends arising from the COVID-19 situation. 

What’s the current situation if you want to lease an apartment, and how difficult is it to find a house to rent now. 

Read the full story on our stories now
Open
Happy Valentine’s Day from the Expat Living Team ❤️

All we really need is love, but if you do fancy something else then we have fun trivia, gift ideas and some lovely dining options on our stories
Open
🏮 Gong Xi Fa Cai to all our friends celebrating Chinese New Year!
Open
What would make a doctor like DR MENKA GUPTA transform herself into a functional medicine practitioner and nutritionist in Singapore? 

Her lifelong passion for healing is the answer – and she hasn’t looked back. Born and raised in Lucknow, India, she knew from the age of three that she wanted to be a doctor. After years of working as a specialist in the fields of gastroenterology, general medicine and gynaecology in leading hospitals in the UK, India and Singapore, she joined the Institute for Functional Medicine in 2012, and established Nutra Nourish here five years ago. 

Dr Menka is the the only IFM certified practitioner (IFMCP) in South Asia (there are less than 1,000 globally) 

Read the full article in our stories
Open
Noticed all the lanterns and bright lights across Chinatown? 

Yep, it’s that time of the year again! Chinese New Year is in full force in Singapore, so we’ve listed some great events and handy tips for you to experience a truly authentic, fun and prosperous start to the Year of the Ox 🐂 🍊 🧧 

Check out our guide (link on stories) of what to do (and also what not to do!)
Open
Striking a stylish downward dog in yoga or a perfect squat when working out needn’t only be about flexibility. 

Now there’s a selection of trendy and stylish active wear to inspire us at the same time! 

Yumi Active offers a range of uber-sleek, re-imagined performance gear. With active wear with gorgeous designs, bold prints and ethnic motifs, the brand is certainly getting us motivated with the right kit to get fit

Check them out on our stories
  • Competitions
  • Noticeboard
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy

© 2021 Expat Living Singapore, All Rights Reserved.