Sunflower Fund – hope begins with you
On September 16, the Sunflower Fund will launch Sunflower Day, which replaces the iconic Bandana Day that previously took place during October.
The bandana has been replaced with a Tube of Hope Tope, which can be purchased at all Pick n Pay stores during August.
The diagnosis of a dread disease like leukaemia is devastating, not only to the individual, but also for their family, friends and colleagues – especially when the only treatment option is a stem cell transplant.
News like this leaves no one untouched, but this is where the Sunflower Fund steps in.
According to Alana James, CEO of the fund, they reach out to the community, supporting both patients and their loved ones in their search for a stem cell match through the fund’s expertise in increasing donor numbers for the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR).
“One of our very important jobs is to ensure that we have an ethnically diverse source of well-informed potential stem cell donors, who are committed to helping others and willing to undergo a relatively painless procedure – not unlike an extended blood donation – to help save lives,” said James.
“A patient is only able to search for a match within their own ethnic group, as a stem cell donor needs to be a genetic or DNA match, and not a blood group match.
“With the odds of patients finding a suitable person among 1:100 000, it is imperative that The Sunflower Fund grows the registry in order to offer hope for these patients.
“Imagine that you are a patient awaiting a lifesaving stem cell transplant – how would you would feel if a match was found and the donor said that he or she ‘didn’t feel like donating today’, or no longer wished to be a part of the Registry?
“This is a serious commitment and one should consider the full implications for both the donor and the patient when completing the consent form and providing a blood sample for testing.
“Education, awareness, recruitment and testing of donors are inextricably linked. The one activity cannot happen in isolation of the other. In order to continue this valuable work, The Sunflower Fund seeks ongoing assistance from the general public and corporate SA.
“It takes just two test tubes of blood to become registered as a stem cell donor, but it costs The Sunflower Fund R2 000 to tissue type that sample at the required molecular (DNA) level.
”The blood samples are analysed and the individuals’ data is then stored on the SABMR until the age of 60 years.”
James said there are currently approximately 71 000 people registered on the SABMR and the fund’s aim is to achieve their goal of 400 000.
“In order to ensure that cost is not a limiting factor for a prospective donor, The Sunflower Fund bears the costs of the initial test,” she explained.
“It is greatly appreciated when a prospective donor makes a voluntary contribution towards the test cost, to allow the organisation to reach more potential donors.”
James said that even if you are not able to be a stem cell donor yourself, you can still be a lifesaver by donating the funds that make the organisation’s work possible.
Should you wish to become a donor, support one of the fund-raising projects or make a financial contribution, contact The Sunflower Fund on toll-free number 0800 12 10 82, or visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za.
