Importance of ethnic diversity
For people with rare blood types or ongoing and complex treatment needs, an ethnically diverse blood supply can mean the difference between life and death.
You may already know that the best hope for someone in need of lifesaving transplant is a donor who shares their ethnic background or ancestry. But did you know that many patients also require specially matched blood? Because blood type is inherited, people with complex blood needs often rely on donors of similar ancestry.
To truly be Canada's Lifeline, we need our donor and registrant base to reflect Canadian society, especially in racial and ethnic diversity.
There is an urgent need for greater ethnic diversity within Canada’s Lifeline, as people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including those with mixed ancestry, are far less likely to find a stem cell match than someone who identifies as white.
A person’s best chance of finding a match is a donor of the same ethnic background
Matching rare blood types
Most people can be helped with blood from donors of any ethnic background (if they have the same ABO and RhD blood type). However, some people require blood with specific combinations of markers. Examples include people with chronic illnesses like sickle cell disease or thalassemia, who may require regular blood transfusions. Often, donors whose ancestors are from the same regions as blood product recipients (or their ancestors) are most likely to have the same combination of inherited markers and thus the greatest potential to help.
Regular blood transfusions
People who receive regular transfusions generally have better outcomes when the blood they receive comes from a donor whose blood type closely matches theirs. With over 33 different blood types to match, it’s critical that we establish a donor base that is as ethnically diverse as possible, to meet the needs of patients from all communities.
Stem cell transplants
For certain life-threatening illnesses like blood cancer (leukemia), a stem cell transplant is the only effective cure. Leukemia and other disorders that are treated with bone marrow transplant can affect people from all ethnicities. However, people of mixed ancestry and ethnic backgrounds other than white* are far less likely to find a suitable stem cell match in Canada.
With a larger, more ethnically diverse registry (and greater diversity of HLA profiles among registrants), we will be able to save more lives.
*Reporting is based on self-identified ethnicity
African, Caribbean and Black registrants make up just 2% of the stem cell registry
Members of Lambda Mu Mu - Canada's Chapter - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, International 13th District share donors from Black communities are currently underrepresented in Canada's stem cell registry and how building awareness can make all the difference. The more people who register to donate stem cells, the better chance someone with a life-threatening blood disorder or blood cancer will receive a transplant.
Rare blood types by ethnic, racial and Indigenous groups
Some people have rare blood types that fall outside of ABO groups. The table below shows certain blood types are described only in specific racial and ethnic groups. That's why it's essential for donor diversity to match the patient diversity.
|
Black |
U negative; Jsb negative; Joa negative; Hy negative |
|
Filipino, Pacific Islander |
Jka negative Jkb negative (JK3 negative) |
|
Indigenous |
RzRz; Dib negative |
|
Latin |
Dib negative |
| South Asian |
H negative |
| Caucasian |
Vel negative, Kpb negative, Coa negative |
Composition of our blood donor base and the stem cell registry
Currently, people in Canada who are from ethnically diverse backgrounds are less likely to find a matching donor than someone who is white. Only half of the hundreds of people across Canada who are waiting for a stem cell transplant typically find a match, for instance.
This is because donors from these ethnically diverse communities are currently underrepresented in our donor and registrant pools.
It’s critical for us to further grow and diversify our donor and registrant pools to ensure that people from all communities in Canada can find their lifesaving match.
