South Asians Urged to Become Stem Cell Donors to Save Indian American Physician Battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Patients are more likely to find a match from within their own ethnic group, but South Asian donors are underrepresented on the global stem cell registry.

Family and friends of an Indian American physician battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) are urging members of the community to register to be stem cell donors. A flier that’s been doing the rounds on social media, notes that Dr. Shobha, who is “courageously fighting” AML needs a stem cell match.

Patients are more likely to find a match from within their own ethnic group, but South Asian donors are underrepresented on the global stem cell registry. “South Asians make up less than 2 percent in the registry of 22 million people,” the flier notes, encouraging people “to consider registering and swabbing” to see if they are a possible match. “Registering takes 5 mins (and you can potentially save a life.”

Several stem cell donor drives are also being held around the country to help save Dr. Sobha.