Well-known South African celebrities Kuli Roberts and Nicholas Goliath aim to make a difference in the lives of children and adults diagnosed with leukaemia and other life-threatening blood disorders.
The celebrities registered with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR), in partnership with the Sunflower Fund which handles the initial donor registration process.
This according to the Bone Marrow Registry which is the only one in South Africa, has for many years assisted South Africans of all ages and races, affected by blood disease. The organisation, along with the Sunflower Fund, is excited to have Roberts and Goliath on board.
Through the registry, they aim to also raise awareness about the need for black, coloured and Asian donors to get on board.
The registry’s medical director Dr Charlotte Ingram said that last year 51 per cent of 150 preliminary donor requests was for black, coloured or Asian patients. “However, only three out of 25 patients who received transplants in 2015 were in this group. These figures indicate an urgent need to recruit more donors from all ethnic backgrounds,” said Ingram.
“Many people still believe bone marrow stem cells are donated by a surgeon drilling into a person’s hip bone, but this is not the case. The process of donating bone marrow is very similar to donating blood platelets.”
She added blood is drawn using a needle in one arm or in some instances a central venous line. This gets filtered through a cell separator machine which deposits bone marrow stem cells into a bag. The rest of the blood is returned via a needle in the other arm and the process takes approximately four to six hours, which can be done over two days.
Goliath said that after meeting the women from the Sunflower Fund and receiving information about the role of the Registry, he realised the donation process was not that difficult and he could possibly save a life by simply being a registered member.
Roberts added she was not aware that patients with life-threatening blood disorders who cannot find a donor are kept alive by receiving regular blood transfusions. This is what encouraged her to register.
Donor requirements:
• Be18 to 45 years old
• Weigh over 50 kilogrammes with a BMI of 40
• Be in good health, and not at risk of contracting hepatitis or sexually transmitted diseases.
Details: South African Bone Marrow Registry 021 447 8638; Sunflower Fund 011 781 4026.
