More step forward to donate bone marrow in Singapore

“There are many reasons why a transplant may not proceed – a patient’s condition may change, a donor may not be able to proceed, or a suitable match may not be found,” Tan said at the event on Oct 31.

“We must therefore continue to grow and diversify our donor registry to improve the chances of finding a suitable match for patients who need one,” he added.

As at end-September, 247 potential donors had agreed to proceed when contacted, moving patients a step closer to a life-saving transplant.

The number of organisations under BMDP’s corporate partner programme has also grown from 26 when it was launched in 2025 to 48 in 2026.

Under the programme, organisations support employees who wish to donate their bone marrow, such as by offering them time off or volunteer leave to do so.

About 800 people took part in the walkathon, including 262 registered marrow donors, 12 of whom have already donated marrow or stem cells to patients in need.

Among those taking part was psychiatrist Daniel Kwek, 60, who in October 2018 discovered a red patch on his knee. He initially thought it was cellulitis, a common bacterial skin infection.

It was actually a sign of acute myeloid leukaemia – a rare, aggressive blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow whose symptoms can include bruising or spots on the skin.

Married with a son, he said: “One of the first things I did when I was diagnosed was to call a lawyer friend to help me draft a will because you never know what might happen.”

Kwek added that he was unprepared for how difficult the process of chemotherapy would be.

“After a few months, when the treatment got a bit tougher, I broke down,” he said.

His oncologist suggested that he get a bone marrow transplant, which would be more effective in treating leukaemia, and he agreed.

After signing up for the BMDP, a match was found and he went through a successful transplant in January 2019.

After having to take oral chemo medication for several months and going for monthly follow-ups for six years, he now has to go for check-ups only every four to six months.

Kwek said that while he had previously avoided BMDP volunteers canvassing for donors, he now volunteers, sharing his own story to encourage more people to step forward.

The greatest gift of getting a transplant was seeing his son get married in 2023, Kwek said. “It was like getting another lease on life,” he said.