Two donors. Two very different journeys.

Hunter and Mitch both went on to donate their stem cells to patients in need, but their paths to donation looked quite different. One joined through blood donation and was contacted a few years later, while the other spent nearly two decades on the registry before receiving the call.

In this episode, they compare notes on their experiences and reflect on what it was really like to go through the donation process from beginning to end.

Finding a matching stem cell donor is only the beginning.

In this episode, Fiona Harris shares what happens after a match is found, from coordinating collections and transport to working across time zones, borders and languages.

Along the way, we hear remarkable stories of how hospitals, couriers and registries have come together to keep transplants moving when patients are counting on them.

Sam didn't expect to get a call saying he was a perfect match for a patient, mainly because he didn't remember ever joining the registry.

In this episode, he shares how a community swab drive led to that call, and what happened next when he chose to go ahead with donation.

Sam is one of the smaller number of donors who gave through bone marrow, so we talk through what that actually involves, from testing and preparation, to the day of the procedure and recovery afterwards.

If you're aged 17–35 and thinking about joining the stem cell donor registry, head to our website: stemcelldonors.org.au

Stem cell donation gets talked about a lot, but the science behind it? Not always so clear.

In this episode, Chief Scientist Carmel O'Brien breaks it all down in plain English, from what blood stem cells actually do, to why bone marrow matters, and what people really mean when they talk about "being a match". No medical background required.

We get into how matching works, why background can play a role, and how stem cells are usually collected, including why most donations happen through the blood, what the injections are doing, and when bone marrow donation comes into the picture. This one's for anyone who's ever thought, "ok… but how does this actually work?"

This month we chat with Yoni, who joined the registry at 18 and didn't think much about it for years. He shares what it was like when he finally got that life changing call, the donation process itself, and how it felt knowing he could help someone he'd never met.

If you're aged 18-35 and thinking about joining the stem cell donor registry, head to our website: stemcelldonors.org.au

In this episode, Simon shares his family’s journey after his youngest son was diagnosed with leukaemia as a baby. He talks about the shock of diagnosis, the realities of hospital life, and the emotional highs and lows of treatment. Simon also reflects on the profound impact of stem cell donation, including the relief of finding matching donors and the hope that comes from knowing strangers are willing to step forward and save a life.

In this episode, Rochelle shares the story of her husband Seia, who passed away after a leukaemia diagnosis, and how it inspired her to become an advocate for stem cell donation. Please be aware this episode includes discussion of someone who is no longer with us. If that's a sensitive topic for you, you might want to give this one a miss.

In the first episode of the Stem Cell Donors Australia podcast, we hear from Ollie, a 29-year-old from the Gold Coast who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia just months after moving cities. She takes us through the shock of her diagnosis, what it was like preparing for a stem cell transplant, and how she’s been looking forward to the future since her transplant.