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Age-Outs Stall DKMS Growth Despite 150,000 New Donors

Losses to age-based eligibility have equaled new sign-ups, forcing DKMS to target younger cohorts for fresh donors.

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Overview

  • DKMS added 150,000 new German donors in the first half of 2025 but lost an equal number of members who exceeded the 61-year eligibility limit, resulting in zero net growth.
  • Only individuals between ages 18 and 61 can register, and age-related removals are set to reach 150,000 in 2025, more than double the 66,000 seen in 2019.
  • Germany records a blood cancer diagnosis every twelve minutes, and one in ten patients still cannot find a matching stem cell donor.
  • Annual new registrations have fallen from over 688,000 in 2019 to about 344,000 in 2024, contributing to a shrinking pool of younger donors.
  • To reverse the trend, DKMS is expanding school outreach, social-media campaigns, and recruitment drives at sports clubs and music festivals.