Beyond Bloodlines: Tzu Chi’s Integrated and Innovative Service Model for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Care

The Buddhist Tzu Chi Stem Cells Center in Taiwan traces its origins to 1993, when Taiwan lifted restrictions on unrelated bone marrow stem cell donation and Tzu Chi established and began operating the Taiwan Bone Marrow Registry. Building on more than three decades of registry experience and medical expertise, the Center has continued to develop an integrated service model centered on patients and donors. Tzu Chi Foundation trains professional volunteers for donor advocacy and support, while Tzu Chi medical institutions and Tzu Chi University contribute clinical and medical research expertise. Together, we have built a comprehensive pathway covering volunteer donor recruitment, HLA typing, donor search and matching, pre-donation assessment, collection, cross-border transport, and follow-up care. In 2026, we launched Taiwan’s first pilot test for buccal-swab donor registration, introducing an internationally established non-invasive sampling method into the existing HLA registration process.

Beyond medical technology and matching efficiency, as a religious organization we also pay close attention to the emotional and spiritual aspects of the donation journey, helping donors feel less fearful from registration and matching through actual donation. We make the professional process transparent and understandable, while volunteers participate in professional training and certification through the Stem Cell Donation Care Group. From donor education and donor registration onward, they help confirm willingness to donate; after a match is identified, they provide information, emotional support, and follow-up care. For financially disadvantaged recipients, we also provide charitable assistance to reduce treatment-related financial burden.

Our innovation lies in continuously improving matching methods, registration approaches, and donor support mechanisms while integrating medical expertise, trained volunteers, patient support, public participation, and international collaboration. This enables a registry operating for more than 30 years to keep responding to evolving medical and social needs.