A software engineer Satish Reddy achieved a rare feat by donating his stem cells twice through DKMS Foundation India, giving two different patients battling blood cancer a second chance at life. He was felicitated at a special event in Hyderabad, where DKMS Foundation India also hosted a fireside chat to highlight the urgent need for more stem cell donors in India. Stem cell donor Navya Dhatri Vadde from the city was also felicitated at the event.

Satish first registered as a potential donor in July 2016 during a local event. Five years later, in June 2021, he was matched with a blood cancer patient in India and donated his stem cells, helping the patient recover. In 2023, he met his recipient in Ahmedabad during a donor–patient meeting, a deeply emotional experience that underscored the life-saving impact of donation. In a rare occurrence, Satish was matched again with a different patient in September 2024 and went on to donate his stem cells for the second time in January 2025.

To register as a potential stem cell donor, you must be a healthy Indian adult between 18 and 55. When you are ready to register, all you need to do is complete a consent form and swab the inside of your cheeks to collect your tissue cells. Your tissue sample is then sent to the lab to be analysed for your HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) and listed anonymously on the international search platform for matching stem cell donors. If you’re eligible, register as a blood stem cell donor by ordering your home swab kit at www.dkms-india.org/register