Help save a life
Calls for stem cell donors to help save 10-year-old Tristan Timms.
The Sunflower Fund with Gwen and Graham Timm are putting out an urgent call for 18-45 year olds to join in the fight against chronic blood diseases and register as potential stem cell donors on May 21 at the Eldorado Park Shopping Centre.
The Timm’s are not alone in their quest to save their child’s life as there are hundreds of other families in the same situation.
Their 10-year-old son Tirsten Timm, is in need of a stem cell transplant.
He was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L) in March 2011 when he was only 5-years-old.
A.L.L is a critical form of leukaemia, or cancer of the white blood cells.
This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated and at this point, Tirsten is in desperate need to find a matching donor to receive a life-saving stem cell transplant.
He is a resilient boy who loves PlayStation games, cars, riding his bike, computer games, he also collects hot wheels and army toys and he is crazy about motorbikes.
This brave little guy with an avid love for Spider-Man has been battling this illness for the past five years.
Tirsten’s initial search for a potential stem cell donor on the South African Bone Marrow Registry was unsuccessful and he has since relapsed.
The Sunflower Fund aims to grow the Registry in hopes that Tirsten and many others like him may find a match and live out their young lives cancer free.
The appeal is for healthy individuals to join the SABMR.
This donor drive is not just about finding Tirsten a donor, but finding other people’s mums, dads, sisters, brothers and children their life-saving matches.
By taking a few minutes to register to become a stem cell donor, you could literally save someone’s life.
Join the donor drive at Eldorado Park Shopping Centre and register to become a stem cell donor not only just for Tirsten but for hundreds of patients and their families going through this struggle daily.
If you have any questions about what happens if you are a match and/or would like to be part of this drive, you can contact The Sunflower Fund on 0800 12 10 82 or Mandisa Ndovela, Donor Recruitment and Education Specialist for The Sunflower Fund at mandisa@sunflowerfund.org.za.
