At The TLR Foundation, we spend a lot of time talking to people aged 18 to 35 about how they can save someone’s life through stem cell donation. It’s simple. It’s powerful. And for someone with blood cancer, it might be their only hope.
If you’re part of the LGBTQ+ community, you might have heard you’re not allowed to donate, especially if you’ve ever been turned away from giving blood. That experience sticks. It can make you feel like you’re not welcome in other donation spaces. That’s why this conversation matters. Stem cell donation’s completely different, and you’re not just allowed here. You’re needed.
Let’s clear this up
There’s still confusion about who can join the Australian stem cell donor registry.
Many LGBTQ+ people assume they’re not eligible. That belief comes from years of strict government blood donation rules and from the fact that almost no one talks about stem cell donation. As a result, people believe they’ll be turned away when the truth’s the opposite.
You’re completely welcome. Your sexuality and your gender identity don’t affect your ability to donate stem cells. If you’re aged 18 to 35 and you’ve got a green or blue Medicare card, you can join. You’re needed, you’re included and you belong in this lifesaving space.
How we got here
For decades men who have sex with men couldn’t donate blood in Australia. That started in the 1980s during the HIV and AIDS crisis and lasted for around forty years. The government created those rules, not Lifeblood, and Lifeblood’s pushed for change for years. Even so, the impact on LGBTQ+ communities stayed the same. A lot of people learned to expect rejection even when they wanted to help.
Here’s the part that feels good to say out loud. Stem cell donation never worked like that. Eligibility to join Stem Cell Donors Australia applies equally to everyone. Who you love, who you sleep with and how you identify has never affected your ability to save someone with blood cancer. If you’re aged 18 to 35 and you have a green or blue Medicare card, you can join the registry with a few cheek swabs. That’s it. You’re welcome and you belong here.
Why this community’s a big deal
TLR shows up because LGBTQ+ communities have always led the way when it comes to care, compassion and showing up for others. This community knows what it means to stand up for better health care, better rights and better representation. You also know how to lift each other up when things get tough.
That same energy helps people with blood cancer. Many patients need a donor with a similar background and tissue type. Australia’s diverse, but the registry isn’t there yet. When LGBTQ+ people join the registry, it creates matches that otherwise wouldn’t exist. It’s powerful and it’s deeply needed.
Joining’s easy
Signing up takes only a few minutes. You fill out a quick online form, swab your cheek three times and you’re officially on the register.
Joining the registry takes minutes and could change someone’s life
You can also sign up online and a cheek swab kit arrives at your door, just remember to post it back.
If you match with someone, you donate through the blood. It feels similar to a long plasma donation. You sit in a chair, scroll your phone and a machine collects your stem cells while returning the rest of your blood. You go home the same day. Someone with blood cancer starts treatment that could save their life. One person’s kindness changes everything.
Wins worth celebrating
There’s been real progress for the community too. All LGBTQ+ people can now donate plasma under updated government rules. Plasma and stem cell donation aren’t the same, but for most donors the experience feels similar.
It’s not the focus for TLR, but it’s worth celebrating. It shows a shift toward fairness and inclusion. It also shows what you already know. LGBTQ+ people aren’t a risk. You’re needed. You’ve always stepped up for others and now the donation system finally reflects that.
Someone out there could be waiting for you
For some people with blood cancer, a stem cell transplant’s their only chance. They’re waiting for someone who shares the right tissue type. When LGBTQ+ people join the registry, you give people hope they might never have had.
This is community care at its strongest. It’s Pride in action. This is what happens when inclusion turns into something that saves lives.
See you at Fair Day 2026
The TLR crew at Fair Day reminding everyone that stem cell donors are hot
TLR will again show up at Fair Day in February 2026. We want LGBTQ+ people to feel seen, safe and celebrated. We’ll answer real questions, clear up myths and make sure everyone knows they’re welcome. You can expect clear information, real conversations and a team who believes in the power of community.
You’ll leave with everything you need to feel confident about joining the registry and the knowledge that you’re already capable of something extraordinary.
If you’re aged 18 to 35, you can sign up today through our official link. It takes only a moment and you could be the reason someone else gets a second chance at life.
Be a legend, save a life!
References
The TLR Foundation – Stem Cell Donors in the LGBTQ+ community
Stem Cell Donors Australia – FAQs
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood – Changes to Plasma Donation in the LGBTQ+ community
SBS News – Changes to Blood Donation Rules in the US, and Australia following