In commemoration of World Marrow Donor Day today, The South African Bone Marrow Registry will launch a campaign to name an actual star after a lucky donor. This is after the registry reached its target of 100 000 donor registrations. Less than half of blood stem cell transplants in the country are from donors in South Africa, while the vast majority have come from donors in Germany and America.
This World Marrow Donor Day – the registry is encouraging more South African to register to become donors and give the gift of life.
According to the South African Bone Marrow Registry, this is because South Africa has such a small pool of stem cell donors. To date, the Registry has saved more than 600 lives with 25% of these donors coming from SA.
The registry often looks abroad which takes time and can become costly. Hence this World Marrow Donor Day, the registry is hoping more South Africans will register to become donors.
In 2014 Pieter Le Roux was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He says he is alive today because of a kind soul who registered to become a stem cell donor.
“That is very aggressive leukemia and very rare in my age group. From day one of my treatment, my Dr said a bone marrow transplant is part of your treatment and for your long-term health. If I didn’t get a transplant, it would come back at a later stage. Someone took some time in his life; he went registered and did the bone marrow donation. He saved my life. I am forever grateful,” said Pieter Le Roux.
One selfless human being is Mfundo Ngwenya. He became a stem cell donor because he comes from a family that’s involved in care giving on multiple levels.
“It’s based on my family. They are very caring and they love giving. My grandmother took care of a lot of sick people. It’s about just wanting to give. I’m happy that I saved someone’s life and I gave someone a chance. Just by giving a chance, to another person to live to the fullest – that’s what’s important. It’s being a hero but not wearing the badge of a hero, “says Ngwenya.
Deputy Director for SABMR, Jane Ward says, patients, don’t have the luxury of time. Most patients that require a stem cell transplant suffer from life-threatening illnesses such as leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, and immune deficiency disorders that can claim their lives within the space of a few weeks or months.
She says it is for this reason that they are encouraging more registrations in South Africa.
“We hope that the competition will generate enough excitement among the public to help us get to 100 thousand donors. The one is one hundred thousand figure is significant as it symbolises the odds of finding a tissue match, “she said.
She explains some of the biggest misconceptions associated with bone marrow transplants and stem cell donations.
“The biggest misconception is that we are going to drill into your bones, we don’t do that. The donation happens via peripheral blood stem cell collection. We produce stem cells for ourselves every day but in small doses. We give the donor the injection that stimulates the bone marrow to produce all the stem cells the patient needs. This is pushed into the bloodstream the donor may feel bone pain,” she said.
She adds: “On the 5th day, we connect the donor to a machine which takes only the stem cells that the patient requires. You could be giving some a second chance at life, to get to matric, to get married and see their grand-kids,”
