Iranian Donors Save Lives
A community-led initiative working to close the stem cell donor representation gap for Iranian patients.
What Is Stem Cell Donation?
A clear, straightforward explainer for anyone curious about the process before they decide to register.
Stem cell donation is a safe, outpatient procedure that can give a patient with a blood cancer or disorder a second chance at life. The process is straightforward — most donations take only a few hours — and donors recover quickly.
Why representation matters: Because donor matching depends on inherited genetic markers, patients are far more likely to find a compatible donor within their own ethnic community. The more Iranians who register, the better the odds for every Iranian patient searching for a match.
The Representation Gap
A patient’s best chance of finding a stem cell donor often comes from someone with shared ancestry.
Although Iranians make up approximately 1% of the global population, they account for less than 0.2% of the stem cell donor registry — leaving Iranians 5× underrepresented.
That difference is more than a statistic — it can affect whether patients find a lifesaving match. IDSL is working to close this gap by increasing awareness, encouraging registration, and mobilizing Iranian and other underrepresented communities to join the stem cell donor registry.
Who's on the Global Registry?
Of all registered stem cell donors worldwide, Iranians make up less than 0.2% — far below their 1% share of the global population.
How IDSL Makes a Difference
Education
We make stem cell donation understandable and approachable by creating clear, accessible content for the Iranian community — in English and with cultural context in mind.
Outreach
We partner with cultural groups, student organizations, and community events to reach potential donors where they are — at Persian cultural events, university campuses, and community gatherings.
Storytelling
We share real stories from donors, patients, and families to make the impact of registration visible and personal — because the most powerful argument for registering is often a story from someone in your community.
Donor Drives
We organize and support registration drives that give community members a direct, guided path to join the registry — with volunteers available to answer questions and help with the process.
Meet the Core Team
IDSL is powered by passionate community members dedicated to closing the donor gap for Iranian patients.
Kiana Pooyanmehr
National Community Outreach Coordinator
Kiana is the National Community Outreach Coordinator at Iranian Donors Save Lives. A proud Iranian-Canadian, she holds a degree in Life Sciences with a specialization in the Origins of Disease from McMaster University, where she also served as a leader of McMaster's Stem Cell Club for 3 years. Kiana's journey with stem cell advocacy began close to home. As a first-year volunteer with IDSL, she was introduced to a cause she hadn't previously known existed. That experience sparked a deep commitment to closing the representation gap for Iranian-Canadians in the stem cell registry, ultimately leading her to take on a full membership and her current national role.
Anahita Akbari
Regional Outreach Lead — Toronto
Anahita is a Biomedical Sciences graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University and an active volunteer with IDSL. Over the past several years, she has helped create educational content, raise awareness about stem cell donation, and support registration drives across university campuses. She is passionate about health communication and community engagement. Through her work, she hopes to help increase awareness of stem cell donation and encourage more Iranians to join the registry and save lives.
Amirreza Foroughifar
Regional Outreach Lead — Toronto
Amir is a Regional Outreach Lead with Iranian Donors Save Lives, where he supports community education and engagement around stem cell donation. A Biology graduate of TMU and an incoming MSc student in Occupational and Public Health, Amir brings a background in community advocacy, public awareness, and health equity to his work improving outcomes for underrepresented communities.
Ashkan Akbarpour
Regional Outreach Lead — London
Ashkan is a Health Sciences student at Western University. Since 2022, he has been actively involved with IDSL, organizing donor drives at Western and engaging students in stem cell donor awareness and registration.
Amir Docheshmeh
Regional Outreach Ambassador — London
Amir has a bachelor's degree in medical sciences, enjoys playing chess and soccer, and loves drinking tea in the middle of the day.
Solmaz Ebrahimi-Iranpour
Regional Outreach Ambassador — Toronto
Solmaz is a graduate of the Master's in Molecular Science program at Toronto Metropolitan University and an aspiring physician with a strong commitment to bridging healthcare gaps in underserved and underrepresented communities. As a long-time member of IDSL and an Iranian-Canadian, this work is especially meaningful to her, as it has allowed her to stay connected to her Iranian heritage while giving back to a community that has always been central to her identity. Through this work, she hopes to bring together her passion for science, medicine, and health equity to help create a future where healthcare is more inclusive, accessible, and representative.
Julia Ghazanfari
Community Organizer
As a Community Organizer with IDSL, Julia helps build partnerships and raise awareness about stem cell donation through outreach, social media content, and collaboration with student organizations.
Jasmine Ghazanfari
Social Media Community Manager
Jasmine is a marketing and communications graduate with a passion for digital storytelling and community building. As Social Media Manager at IDSL, she creates content that raises awareness and connects people to the critical need for stem cell donation.
Our Advisors
A trusted circle of advisors who lend their expertise and strategic vision to guide IDSL's leadership and long-term direction.
Hari Sathasivam
Strategic Advisor
Hari provides strategic guidance to IDSL, bringing expertise across biotechnology, STEM, and the pharmaceutical industry. His perspective supports the organization’s long-term vision, health advocacy work, and growth within the nonprofit sector.
Meet the Leadership
IDSL is driven by community members who believe that awareness and representation can change outcomes for patients.
Farnaz Farahbakhsh
Founder and Director
“Since the campaign's launch, we have reached incredible milestones, and it's all thanks to your unwavering support. Through your dedication, we have registered over 2,000 potential stem cell donors to the Canadian registry — each one offering a life-changing chance for patients in desperate need of a match.”
Farnaz is a medical student, advocate, and social entrepreneur. As Founder and Director of IDSL, she has led stem cell donor recruitment initiatives across Canada to increase representation in registries and improve access to life-saving transplants.
farnaz.sharon@gmail.comMeet the full teamYou Might BeSomeone's Match
Registering takes minutes. It costs nothing. And it could save the life of someone in your community who is waiting for a match right now.
via Canadian Blood Services · free · open to eligible adults