Become someone’s one in 100 000 chance of survival
SANBS calls on the community to sign up as stem cell donors.
Every year there are thousands of people whose lives are threatened by blood diseases such as leukaemia, aplastic anaemia and other inherited genetic blood disorders.
Stem cell transplants are a life-saving treatment option for South Africans diagnosed with these blood diseases.
This September is Stem Cell Donation Month and the South African National Blood Service (SANBS), as a partner of the Sunflower Fund, is encouraging blood donors to sign up as stem cell donors when they go and donate blood.
The chances of being called to donate stem cells are minor as there are difficulties matching a donor to a recipient.
The Sunflower Fund is a non-profit organisation that aims to create awareness, educate the public and facilitate the registration process for people to join the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR).
Healthy stem cells can self-renew into more cells and the platelet concentrate from these cells can be used to treat leukaemia, sickle cell disease and bone marrow deficiencies.
Some individuals who benefit from blood transfusions may also need stem cell donations.
The best match for a stem cell transplant would be a match between siblings; however, many are not that lucky and have to search somewhere else.
A match is more likely to occur between people of the same ethnic group, so having donations from a wide range of ethnic groups is more likely to meet South Africa’s diverse national needs. The chance of finding a donor is one in a 100 000.
It goes without saying that having an extensive database of donors increases the chances that a match will be found.
SANBS urges all blood donors to join the registry and help create a chance for people to survive.
For more information on the Sunflower Fund call 0800 12 10 82 or visit https://www.sunflowerfund.org.za
To find out where you can register as a stem cell donor call 0800 11 90 3 or email to customerservice@sanbs.org.za
Did you know?
1. Blood stem cells are collected in a hospital by a procedure called apheresis.
2. A needle is inserted into a vein in the arm and peripheral blood passes into a cell separator machine which collects the stem cells.
3. The rest of the blood is immediately returned to the bloodstream through a needle in your other arm.
4. The procedure takes about three to four hours.
5. This avoids the general anaesthetic and hip punctures involved in the alternative method of bone marrow extraction from the pelvic bone.
6. The average time to full recovery for a donation is seven days.
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