Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is calling on University of New Brunswick (UNB) and Mount Allison University students between the ages of 17 to 35 to step up and swab their cheeks to save a life.

Between February 5 and 6, students can register to become stem cell donors and potentially be a match for one of the nearly 1,000 Canadian patients waiting for a lifesaving stem cell transplant.

CBS Spokesperson Raj Damhar said patients who need a stem cell transplant are more likely to find a matching donor among those who share ethnic ancestry, “Students who come from an ethnically diverse or mixed-race background could be the match a patient has been waiting for.”

CBS says stem cell transplants can treat over 80 diseases and disorders, and when a patient undergoes a stem cell transplant, it’s often their last hope for survival.  The use of stem cells from younger donors can lead to better patient outcomes.

Participating campuses in New Brunswick:

• UNB, Fredericton, Feb. 5-6
• Mount Allison University, Sackville, Feb. 5

More details can be found by clicking here.