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During the period from September 1991 to March 2021, the HKMMF has recruited more than 150,000 people registering for bone marrow donation, 658 of them had actually donated to benefit either local or overseas patients. Some of them had donated more than once.
Since inception, the HKMMF has been operating entirely based on charity donations. In 2003, it had become clear that the Foundation needed to have a defined, adequate, reliable and dependable source of funding if its activities were to survive into the future. The Foundation was providing an important service to the community, was saving lives, and was acting as an essential adjunct to the territory’s health care service. The Board of Governors felt that it was no longer appropriate for the Foundation to rely on the uncertainty of charitable support to fund its operations. Considering the long-term partnership with the Hong Kong Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) and the potential synergy in recruiting both blood and bone marrow donors at the same time, the Foundation considered the BTS to be the most ideal candidate to transfer its well-established service. Discussions were held between HKMMF, the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC), and the Hospital Authority. As a result of
these discussions, it was agreed to have BTS to take over the services provided by HKMMF and to set up the new Hong Kong Bone Marrow Donor Registry (HKBMDR), starting from 1 September 2005. It was also agreed to seek for the consent from each HKMMF registry donor to transfer his/her personal data to the HKBMDR, for continuing to be examined whenever a patient is searching for a matched donor.
Subsequent to the transfer of service to the BTS, the HKMMF has shifted its focus into research and community education, whilst continuing its important role to help patients in need of bone marrow transplant. The Foundation has nominated a representative to sit in the HKBMDR Governing Sub-committee to monitor and assist in its operation and service for the benefit of bone marrow donors and recipients.
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