Chicago, USA: Indian Americans battling blood cancers face a severe shortage of bone marrow donors due to low South Asian representation in the U.S. registry. To address this, the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) has launched its first nationwide donor drive, in partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).

Since late 2024, AAPI has organized registration events in major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Charlotte, and San Jose, with strong support from students and local communities.

AAPI leaders stress that HLA matching is ethnicity-specific, making Indian donors crucial for saving Indian-origin patients. Registration is simple and donation is safe, with all costs covered.

Expanding globally, AAPI will partner with DATRI and the Global Association of Indian Medical Students to launch drives in India, starting with its Global Health Summit in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in January 2026.

The organization urges Indian Americans and South Asians worldwide to register as donors, host drives, and spread awareness—since one person’s decision to join the registry could be a patient’s only chance of survival.