Khulubuse Zuma has come out in support of organ donation, having donated one of his kidneys to his late sister.
Zuma believes there should be more awareness about becoming an organ donor.
This follows an announcement made by the Organ Donor Foundation this week at a media conference that donations in KwaZulu-Natal have declined. Only 18 transplants took place in 2014.
While not part of the Organ Donor Foundation media briefing, Zuma told the Sunday Tribune that many people in the black community lacked information about the importance of donating organs.
In 1992, at the age of 22, Zuma donated his kidney to his 18-year-old sister Enama, who was diagnosed with renal failure.
“The only thing that could make her better was a new kidney. Niney percent of my family did not understand the importance of donating organs because they believed a person should be buried with all their body parts. I agreed to help my sister because I loved her dearly,” he said.
Zuma said he had experienced no complications as a result of the operation.
“I did it for the love of my sister. I came out (of hospital) much stronger and fatter. My sister never went for dialysis again because she was better. I began gaining more weight, but it has nothing to do with the kidney operation. I have lived with one kidney for the past 24 years and I am fine,” he said.
His kidney gave Enama a new lease on life until she died six years ago.
“We stayed with her for many years until she became sick. It was not related to her kidneys. She thanked me for the sacrifice I had made and offered to give back my kidney, saying she no longer needed it. (I refused) and she passed away seven days later,” said Zuma.
Zuma has now signed up to be an organ donor.
Another advocate for organ donation is Ayanda Nkosi, 33, from Kloof, who was also diagnosed with kidney failure. She said she used social media to raise awareness about organ donation. She was at the media briefing at Gateway Private Hospital.
“When I was diagnosed in 2014, I did not know much. There are many campaigns about HIV/Aids and cancer, but not much is said about kidney failure and organ donation,” she said.
Since she was diagnosed Nkosi goes for dialysis three times a week for four hours.
“My lifestyle changed dramatically. I no longer travel as I used to and I am constantly tired. It’s an emotional journey that I have had to accept. I am so glad that in June I will be undergoing a transplant – my uncle is donating a kidney to me.”
Transplant co-ordinator Cindy Goldie said government hospitals were not referring potential donors.
“Our donor referrals have definitely declined because state facilities aren’t referring potential donors to us.
“The Road Accident Fund went broke, and it doesn’t pay for a patient to come to private hospitals any more.
“The state has limited resources and can’t deal with very sick patients.
“If you are too sick you don’t qualify for an ICU bed, so those patients die in casualty wards, whereas before they were transported to a private hospital, treated and put on life support machines, becoming potential organ donors.
“So we’ve got a terrible shortfall because these patients are dying in state casualty wards,” said Goldie.
Requirements for donation
- Type one: Heart still beating - a person whose head is injured, their brain stem is dead and is on life support.
- What they can donate: heart, lung, kidney, pancreas and liver.
- Type two: Heart not beating, patients who have died.
- What they can donate: tissue, cornea, skin, bone and heart valve.
- Living people can donate: kidney, blood and bone marrow.
Sunday Tribune