Blood cancer is a deadly disease, with someone being diagnosed in South Africa every 72 minutes.
Surprisingly, only 0.04% of South Africans are donors on the donor registry, making the probability of a patient finding a life-saving blood stem cell match slim.
As a result, education and awareness are vital in creating potential donors. One such programme that recently proved successful is DKMS Africa’s workshop with the Jaay Blacks Youth Foundation.
The seminar inspired Siphosethu Vumisa, a 21-year-old Cape Town University student majoring in Film and Media and African Studies, to register as a blood stem cell donor, ultimately resulting in being the match for a leukaemia patient.
‘’Growing up, I didn’t know about blood cancer until we had the workshop with the Youth Foundation. I would love for more awareness to be raised so that a lot more lives can be saved,’’ said Vumisa.
Finding a matching blood stem cell donor is key to saving a person’s life battling blood cancer. According to DKMS Africa, approximately 75% of patients worldwide cannot find a matching donor within their family.
South Africa’s low donation rates are mainly due to a lack of understanding of the donation process. Patients may be more likely to match with donors from their respective ethnic backgrounds, making it important to increase diversity in the donor registry.
If you do come up as a potential match for someone, the donation process can begin. “You will be asked to provide a blood sample. Your blood will also be checked for other infections, such as HIV or hepatitis viruses. The results of your blood tests will be used to decide whether you are the best match for the patient,” said Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communications at DKMS Africa.
Stem cell donation is a life-saving process for those with blood cancer.
How to become a donor:
If you’re interested in becoming a stem cell donor, here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide to how the process works:
Step 1: Register as a stem cell donor
Visit the DKMS Africa website, https://www.dkms-africa.org/register-now, and register to become a blood stem cell donor. The entire process takes less than five minutes to complete, and it’s completely free.
Step 2: Registration process
Before registration, ensure that you have a valid and functioning email address, a reliable contact number, and detailed information about your medical history.
Step 3: Registration kit
After completing the registration process, you will receive a registration kit through the mail, which will be delivered to the address you provided during registration.
Step 4: Follow the registration kit instructions
The registration kit will contain detailed instructions on how to take a swab of your cheek cells. Using the provided swabs, rub the inside of your cheeks for about a minute, following the instructions carefully.
Step 5: Mail the swabs back to DKMS Africa
Once you have successfully swabbed your cheeks, package the swabs in the provided return envelope and mail them back to DKMS Africa.
Step 6: Wait for the confirmation
Once the samples of your cheek cells arrive at the DKMS Africa laboratory, they will be analysed to determine your tissue type, which will then be entered into the global stem cell donor registry. DKMS Africa will notify you once your registration has been confirmed.
Step 7: Be ready to donate
If you are found to be a match for a patient in need of a stem cell donation, DKMS Africa will contact you for further testing to verify the match. If the match is confirmed, you will be requested to donate blood stem cells. The donation process could vary from donating stem cells through a peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) donation or a bone marrow donation.
Step 8: The donation process
If you are chosen as a donor, DKMS Africa will provide you with comprehensive information on what to expect during the donation process, including potential side effects.
Alternatively, bone marrow donation involves a minor operation to remove liquid marrow from your hip bone while you are under anaesthesia. This procedure takes about one to two hours.
Step 9: Follow up
After the donation, DKMS Africa will regularly follow up with you to check on your physical and mental well-being and ensure that you have made a full recovery.
By following these steps, you could become a hero and save someone’s life by donating your blood stem cells. Registering as a donor is a small, simple action, but to those in need of a matching stem cell donor, it could mean the difference between life and death.
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