The transplant itself will normally take place one to three days after your preparative regimen has finished. Many patients refer to the day of their transplant as their second birthday as it will bring new life to them and is often the mark of a new beginning in their life.

Depending on how and where you were treated during your preparative regimen you will either be admitted to hospital or remain in the same hospital. On very rare occasions the transplant can be performed as an outpatient procedure. If your preparative regimen was as an outpatient then you will probably be admitted to the hospital for this day.

The transplant is similar to a blood transfusion in that the stem cells which have been harvested from bone marrow, a bloodstream or cord blood unit will be entered into your body through a catheter. During the transplant it is normal for you to be awake as it only takes thirty to sixty minutes for the whole procedure. Depending on your circumstances you may be sedated for the duration of the transplant and in all cases there will be a medical team monitoring your progress. They will be looking for signs of chills, fever, chest pains or hives and will be ready should the need arise for further treatment.

Once the actual transplant has taken place the painful period of engraftment will take place and you feel very uncomfortable and lacking in energy as recipients often suffer from a variety of symptoms as well as Graft-versus-Host disease.