Cape Town - With a single sunflower, DKMS Africa wants people to remember the young lives lost to blood cancer, during its annual Sunflower Day campaign.
This childhood cancer awareness month, DKMS Africa handed out 510 sunflowers, one for every child who died of blood cancer in 2020, outside the St George’s Cathedral.
The activity caught the attention of a Bo-Kaap mother, Shamiela Dante, whose 18-year-old-daughter’s diagnosis the week before, left the family feeling uncertain and ill-informed about what to do next.
Her daughter had developed lumps on her upper body, which prompted them to have it medically checked.
“It was very painful and we went there and the doctor tried to get some fluid out of the lumps but the lumps were very big and it's just up from the neck down. She was referred to New Somerset Hospital to have a sample cut out, so they cut out one and a week later, they told us that she has cancer.”
Dante said the family were not adequately supported with information about this.
DKMS Africa Interim Country Manager Palesa Mokomele said DKMS Africa’s mission is to raise funds and create awareness about blood disorders in South Africa, with a diagnosis every 72 minutes.
“We have many people within Black, Coloured, Indian and Asian communities whose stories we don’t hear about. We don't know what happens to them after their diagnosis.
“Some people are not even diagnosed, so access to healthcare, access to transplantation and breaking down those barriers are something that DKMS is working on to fulfil because every single patient, regardless of their social status, regardless of their financial statuses deserves to be given a chance for a second chance at life.”
DKMS Africa Western Cape regional manager, Bonginkosi Kume said healthy individuals between the ages 18-55, with no chronic illness or auto-immune conditions, should register to become a donor.
The process is simple and free with DKMS sending out a swab test kit and will arrange for its recollection. The DNA from the swab will be tested to find a genetic match for someone in need of blood stem cell transplant.
The transplantation is a non-invasive procedure and risk-free.
For more info visit: https://www.dkms-africa.org/