Healthcare professionals and patients in a clinical setting

Understanding stem cell transplants

You’ve just found out that either you, or someone close to you, needs a stem cell transplant. It’s natural to feel worried, confused or daunted by what’s going to happen next. If you have lots of unanswered questions, we’re here to help.

What's in this section?

Learning as much as you can about stem cell transplants can empower you and help build your confidence to tackle the situation head-on.

This section will help you to:

  • understand what stem cells are and why they are so important
  • find out about the different types of stem cell transplants you can have
  • get information on how we search our register for stem cell donors
  • learn about the possible alternatives if a donor can’t be found straight away
  • know about your other options in the rare circumstance that funding for a transplant isn’t available at first.
LeadNurse_RachelMiller_Oct2021_6482

It’s almost impossible to try to understand everything all at once. Whether it's pre-transplant, during the transplant or six months post-transplant, we focus on just that time and then hopefully it’s not so daunting.


Rachel, Anthony Nolan Lead Nurse. Have a listen to our podcast on preparing for your transplant.

Information updated: 23/05/2024

Next review due: 23/05/2027