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Maori and Pacific New Zealanders are being urged to join the New Zealand Bone Marrow Donor Registry (NZBMDR), as World Marrow Donor Day (September 22) shines a spotlight on the need for a registry that better reflects the country’s diversity.
While more than 40 million potential donors are registered worldwide, around 25 million are of European descent.
In New Zealand, the registry includes around 6,000 Maori and 3,000 Pacific potential donors.
Carolyn Crump from the NZBMDR says World Marrow Donor Day is an opportunity to show young New Zealanders how easy and important it can be to join the registry.
“Many people don’t realise that joining starts with something as simple as a cheek swab. If you’re aged 18 to 35, it’s a small step that could one day mean the difference between life and death for someone in need of a transplant,” Crump says.
23-year-old Lilli-Peach Simpson-Maru from Otago University joined the registry in 2024 and was later identified as a match for a patient.
Simpson-Maru didn’t think she’d be called on to donate but now encourages others to join and hopefully make a difference.
“I’d also love to see more Maori and Pasifika people on the registry. It would mean a better chance for Maori and Pasifika patients to find the donor they need when it matters most,” she says.
While nearly 14,500 New Zealanders are currently registered as potential donors, only a small number will ever be called on to donate.
In 2025, 34 people were identified as potential matches, of that only 11 people went on to donate.
NZBMDR is also taking its recruitment drive directly to young people, with swab events being held at universities around the country.
A recent event at the University of Canterbury saw 107 students join the registry, while a swab drive at the University of Waikato on September 18 saw more than 40 people join.
For more about bone marrow donation or to order a swab kit visit bonemarrow.org.nz
