Support Sunflower Day in Mbombela and help save lives
Proceeds from the sales of the products enable the organisation to recruit blood stem cell donors, offering hope of a cure for patients diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases like leukaemia, sickle cell disease and aplastic anaemia, among others.
The Sunflower Fund’s annual Sunflower Day campaign will be commemorated on Friday November 13 this year.
The much-loved and extremely practical Tube of Hope (TOPE) went on sale at the beginning of October. The TOPE is a multipurpose accessory and a key element of Sunflower Day, the largest fundraising and awareness initiative for the cause of blood stem cell donation in South Africa.
Proceeds from the sales of the products enable the organisation to recruit blood stem cell donors, offering hope of a cure for patients diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases like leukaemia, sickle cell disease and aplastic anaemia, among others.
It also contributes to the growth of the patient assistance fund, which helps with the cost of getting transplant support, without which many patients would not survive even if their rare matching donor is found.
Due to the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the campaign was moved from its signature date on the third Friday in September, to a new date in November.
“It’s been incredibly special to see the immense interest from the public regarding when the product will finally hit the stores,” said Alana James, CEO of The Sunflower Fund.
“The campaign, now in its 17th year, has been the single biggest initiative to educate the public and make people aware of the urgent need for donors in South Africa. We could not achieve this without the support of our valued partners like Pick n Pay” James added.
ALSO READ: SA Harvest recommits to ending hunger on World Food Day
“The TOPE has always been popular with our customers, and this year we expect even more excitement as South Africans look to add to their face mask or buff collection. It lets customers keep safe while also supporting a wonderful cause. By buying a TOPE, customers help create awareness for the Sunflower Fund and donate towards the critical work it does in driving stem cell donor numbers locally,” said Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, transformation director at Pick n Pay.
Retailing again for just R30 at Pick n Pay stores nationwide, selected independent pharmacies and online at Zando, the design is inspired by people taking action to bring hope to patients in need of a stem cell transplant.
It comes in six vibrant colours with a great quality fabric; blue, green, yellow, pink, red and black. In addition to the sale of TOPES, the Sunflower Fund urges all supporters to consider planning a mini-event or fundraiser to commemorate the day and help with much-needed fundraising efforts to grow the patient support fund.
Individuals between the ages of 18 to 55 years with a consistent body weight of more than 50 kilograms and a BMI of less than 40 can register as donors. Registration is simple. It can be done online from the comfort of your home at www.sunflowerfund.org.
To partner with The Sunflower Fund as a host for a Sunflower Day celebration event, contact Traci Sassenberg on 021-701-0661 or traci@sunflowerfund.org.
