In just three years, over 100 000 South Africans have answered the call for more stem cell donors to join the local registry and potentially save the lives of those battling blood cancer and blood disorders.
This growth has significantly expanded the donor pool in both size and diversity, now comprising 8% Asian, 9% Coloured, 38% Black, and 45% White donors. As a result, the likelihood of matching donors with patients in need has improved, with each new donor enhancing the odds of finding a match, which currently stands at 1 in 100 000.
“Reaching the 100 000-donor mark is a major victory in our mission to defeat blood cancer,” said Palesa Mokomele, head of community engagement and communications at DKMS Africa.
“These selfless South Africans prove that generosity, compassion, and kindness are in our blood.”
She attributed the rapid growth of the registry to key factors including strong community support, educational initiatives aimed at dispelling myths about blood cancer and stem cell transplants, strategic partnerships, and targeted recruitment efforts to diversify the donor base.
One inspired donor is Thandi, a social worker and mother whose decision to register was prompted by the acute shortage of black stem cell donors and the cancer diagnosis of her close family friend’s granddaughter.
After registering, she received the call that she was a match for a patient in need. She Reflected on her life-changing experience.
“If all it takes is two needles once a day over five days to alleviate someone's suffering from cancer, it's a small sacrifice to make. We all have the potential to be superheroes - even without a cape. As much as the bigger picture is to improve someone else’s life, I have gained so much from the process.”
Illustrating the vital role donors play in offering second chances at life, Mokomele said the organisation’s most recent success story, that of Maddalena, affectionately known as Maddie.
“At just three months old she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in November 2021. After a course of chemotherapy, she entered remission but unfortunately relapsed in June 2023.
“Maddie’s best chance for survival lay in a stem cell transplant from a matching donor, which became a reality earlier this year. Since her transplant, her health has been steadily improving, allowing her to experience the joys of growing up.”
“We hope to recruit an additional 100 000 donors to our registry in the coming years so that more patients like Maddie receive the lifeline they need,” said Mokomele.
“However, one of the biggest hurdles is donor attrition, which delays the matching process for patients requiring life-saving transplants and adversely affects their chances of survival.
“It is crucial that donors understand the commitment involved and how it can significantly impact saving a life. Ensuring the availability of donors is a challenge we are dedicated to addressing.”
“We urge more South African superheroes to not only help us reach our next milestone but also to remain dedicated to the cause so that every patient has a fighting chance at life,” she said.
Register as a stem cell donor at dkms-africa.org/register-now.