WA Cricket unites with Maddie Riewoldt's Vision

Cricket engages thousands of young people across Western Australia every week – the very group most likely to be a life-saving stem cell match.

Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes are rare but devastating conditions. Every three days, an Australian is diagnosed, many of them children and young adults. Patients often depend on regular blood transfusions simply to survive, while a stem cell transplant may represent their only chance of a cure.

But finding a match is extraordinarily complex.

Stem cell transplants require an extremely precise genetic match – far more specific than blood type or organ donation. Even siblings are only a match around 25 per cent of the time, meaning most patients must rely on volunteer donors on national and international registries. For many Australians, the search extends overseas, and some never find a suitable donor.

WA Cricket CEO John Stephenson said the complexity of the process highlighted just how critical every new donor registration could be.

“Our sport connects with thousands of young Australians in the 18 to 35 age bracket and medically, that’s the group that gives patients the best chance of a successful transplant,” Stephenson said.

“When you understand how complex and precise donor matching is, you realise how important every single registration becomes.

“For some patients, there may be just one suitable person anywhere in the world. Increasing the number of young Western Australians on the registry directly increases the odds of saving a life.”

That is why every new registration matters.

Western Australia is already playing a critical role nationally. Almost 19,000 Western Australians aged 18–35 are registered as stem cell donors – a per-capita rate above the eastern states – while WA blood and plasma donors give more frequently than the national average.

Yet the need continues to grow. WA requires 905 new blood and plasma donors in March alone, and many patients with Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes still go without a life-saving match.

Medical evidence shows younger donors provide the strongest transplant outcomes, with younger stem cells associated with better recovery and lower complication rates. Young men, in particular, often produce higher stem cell yields that can improve survival.

WA batter Cameron Bancroft said registering as a donor was a simple step that could have a profound impact.

“We talk a lot in sport about stepping up when it counts. Registering as a stem cell donor is one of those moments off the field where you can genuinely change someone’s future.

“If you’re young and healthy, you’re exactly who doctors are hoping to find on that registry. It’s quick to register, starting with a simple swab test, and one day you could be the reason someone gets a second chance.”

Despite WA’s strong contribution, there are still not enough young people on the registry to meet the needs of Australian patients, and too many continue to miss out on the transplant that could save their lives.

Western Australia is also home to leading clinical and research expertise in this field, with major hospitals contributing to national registry and biobank initiatives aimed at improving treatment and long-term outcomes.

Amy Coote, CEO of Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision, said the partnership with WA Cricket during National Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome Awareness Week would help drive vital awareness and action.

“We are incredibly grateful to WA Cricket for standing with us during National Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome Awareness Week,” Coote said.

“Together, we’re calling on Western Australians to take action by donating blood and registering to become a stem cell donor.

“For patients facing Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes, blood donations are critical to their survival, and a stem cell transplant can offer their only chance of a cure.

“Support like this makes a real difference to the patients and families we walk alongside every day in WA and across the country.”

Maddie Riewoldt’s Vision currently supports 25 Western Australian patients and families, and around 170 nationally, reinforcing the urgent need for continued awareness, research and donor participation.

Throughout the Awareness Week, WA Cricket will support a series of initiatives across the state, encouraging Members and fans to donate blood and join the stem cell donor registry.

Raise Your Voice. Save Lives. Join the fight against Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes.

For more information or to register as a donor, visit:
www.lifeblood.com.au
https://stemcelldonors.org.au/events-and-campaigns/2026/01/national-bone-marrow-failure-syndrome-awareness-week-2026/