UA students traveling between Tucson, Phoenix and other cities can now register to become stem cell donors in just a few clicks while riding FlixBus.
University of Arizona students who catch a FlixBus to Phoenix for the weekend now have the chance to do more than reach their destination; they could help save a life.
Through a new partnership with international nonprofit DKMS, Flix — the parent company of FlixBus and Greyhound — launched the campaign Your Journey Could Save a Life. The initiative allows passengers to register as potential stem cell donors directly from their bus seats using onboard Wi-Fi.
“Through this partnership with Flix, we are reaching people in everyday moments and showing them how easy it is to take the first step toward saving a life,” Hannah De Simone, DKMS U.S. country manager, said in a press release.
Every 27 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with a blood cancer or severe blood disorder. About 30% of patients find a matching donor within their family, but the remaining 70% rely on unrelated donors, many of whom never find a match due to underrepresentation in registries.
“Patients are far more likely to find a compatible donor within their own ethnic or ancestral group,” Sharad Khurana, assistant professor of medicine in the Leukemia-BMT Division at the UA, said.
“Minority populations such as Black, American Indian, Hispanic, Asian and mixed-heritage communities remain severely underrepresented,” Khurana said. “Without greater diversity, many patients may never find a donor. Expanding registries is not just about increasing numbers — it is about ensuring equitable access to life-saving therapy.”
Flix North America, headquartered in Dallas, rolled out the campaign across several countries including the United States, Germany, India, Chile and the United Kingdom. Travelers using FlixBus Wi-Fi are directed to a dedicated landing page where they can begin the donor registration process in just a few clicks.
“Younger donors are associated with better transplant outcomes,” Khurana said. “Research shows that donors aged 18-30 provide stem cells that lead to higher survival rates and lower risk of complications. Their participation is essential. Every young adult who registers improves the chances of transplant success for patients in need.”
According to Khurana, this FlixBus initiative can help average college students learn about a way they can save lives.
“By embedding donor registration into everyday activities — like logging onto bus Wi-Fi — campaigns like this make joining the registry simple, accessible and global,” Khurana said. “With FlixBus’s international reach, the initiative can engage millions of diverse travelers, expanding the registry in underrepresented populations. Every new registration increases the likelihood that a patient with a rare HLA type will find a match.”
Campaigns like this transform awareness into action and action into a life-saving opportunity, according to Khurana.
At the UA, many students rely on bus travel to reach nearby cities for school breaks, family visits or weekend getaways. FlixBus, which offers routes between Tucson, Phoenix, Tempe and other destinations, has become a popular low-cost travel option for college students.
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