When a child is fatally ill with leukemia, a stem cell match can mean restored health and a chance to live.

If the child is Caucasian, there is a reasonable chance a stem cell donor will be found. If the little one is of a different ethnicity, chances are slim.

The sad truth is that if the sick person is in an ethnic group and if no family member matches, then there is a very slim chance of finding a match, even with 20 million people in the registry across the world, Dr. Mohammed Almohammadi said Friday.

The use of stem cells what Almohammadi calls seeds for restored health is increasing for a variety of illnesses, but mainly in blood and marrow diseases like leukemia and lymphoma. The stem cells extracted from a healthy match can help the ill person grow new cells, which often leads to a new lease on life.

Almohammadi, one of the organizers of a registration event Saturday in Halifax, says in some parts of the world, the idea of stem cell therapy seems like a luxury.

There are some places that are fighting disease like Ebola and dont even have registries like this, he said.

We are hoping we can convince more ethnic minorities to become aware of the registry system so that those who need a stem cell donation could have a better chance, he added.

There is a lack of information out there and there are some fears and myths about it but we hope to dispel the myths and increase understanding of how important this is.

All it is is a swab is placed in the mouth and a sample from inside your mouth is taken. Thats all registration is. Its very simple and its sent away and put into a registry so that if someone needs help, you have the choice to help.

Canadian Blood Services is responsible for registering donors in Canada, part of the OneMatch network thats linked to registries around the world.

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More diversity needed for stem cell registry, MD says