Healthcare professionals and patients in a clinical setting

Contact with international donors

Your donor’s home nation will have its own rules about contact between the two of you.

Anonymous contact

Where contact is allowed, there will always be a period where you and your donor may only communicate anonymously. No names, personal details, photos or gifts can be shared.

Direct contact

After a period of anonymous contact, some countries allow patients and donors to have direct contact. Our rules allow direct contact after two years, although some overseas registries may not allow contact until five years post-donation.

You will need to be in good health and not expecting to need any further donations (including donor lymphocyte infusions) from your donor. Both you and your donor need to agree to direct contact.

International rules

The following international registries don’t allow any direct contact between patients and donors:

  • Armenia
  • Belgium
  • China
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Finland
  • France
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Poland (although you can through DKMS Poland)
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • Uruguay  

If you have any questions about contacting a donor who lives overseas

Please contact the donor follow up team on 020 7424 6568 or email: donor@anthonynolan.org.