In honour of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, DKMS Africa launched the Wall of Hope campaign.
It serves as an introduction to the organisation's largest fundraising initiative to raise support and create awareness of childhood blood cancers, the annual Sunflower Day campaign, which takes place on September 16.
The artistic campaign pays tribute to and personifies paediatric patients who have died as a result of blood cancers.
Tshegofatso Ralebipi, 8, battled acute lymphocytic leukaemia, while Naledi Senamela, 15, was diagnosed with leukaemia.
Every 72 minutes, one person in South Africa is diagnosed with blood cancer. Patients of colour have a 19% chance of finding a donor, compared to a 75% chance for white people.
This is because black, coloured, Indian, and Asian population groups are under-represented in the global blood stem cell donor database, implying that patients of colour are at a disadvantage due to a lack of ethnic donors.
People of colour must be made aware of the importance of becoming stem cell donors because ethnicity plays a significant role in matching black patients with the best match.
While stem cell donation offers patients a second chance at life, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reported 510 paediatric cancer deaths in 2020.
However, only 0.04% of eligible South African potential donors are registered to donate, despite the fact that stem cell donation offers patients a second chance at life.
In collaboration with contemporary artists Kevin Ngwenya (@Kev7) and Skumbuzo Vabaza (@Skumbalisto), DKMS Africa unveiled two murals in Durban and Soweto.
Palesa Mokomele, the communications director, explained the motivation behind Wall of Hope and DKMS Africa's goal for this Sunflower Day.
“The mural project injects life into our work in a very tangible way while also drawing attention to the plight of patients who have lost their lives and bringing hope to patients and their families.
“We have immortalised Naledi and Tshegofatso to celebrate their lives to draw attention to stories of children whose lives have been cut prematurely because of blood cancer – and information on what the public can do to help curb this.”
Mokomele encourages South Africans to sign up as blood stem cell donors, claiming that the process is simple and painless. It is a non-surgical procedure that does not involve any cutting and does not require anaesthesia.
If you are between the ages of 18 and 55 and are interested in becoming a donor, you can register at www.dkms-africa.org or get more information by calling 0800 12 10 82.
Graffiti artist Kevin Ngwenya, who expertly captured Naledi Senamela's face, big smile, and bright eyes with aspirations of one day becoming a doctor on Berea Centre in Durban, says working on Naledi's mural was a moving experience.
"Being a part of honouring someone who has passed away, especially when confronted with statistics, allows you to feel and experience more."
Naledi was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2019 and her life came to an end in June 2021. In the words of Naledi's father, Marcus Senamela: "She was a warrior who left a legacy for people who didn't know about blood cancers and disorders."
At the Soweto Theatre's amphitheatre is a mural of Tshegofatso which was painted by Skumbuzo Vabaza. It captures her energy and confidence with vibrant colours.
Tshegofatso lost her life on September 18, 2021, after being diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukaemia.
Lesiba Mokoena, her father, expressed his support for the Wall of Hope initiative. He said: "It will help communities be aware of the role they can play to save lives of innocent children and adults, should they choose to come forward and become blood stem cell donors. Donating is not even a life-threatening process.”
Skumbuzo Vabaza referred to the project as a "very personal piece". He said his intention was to make a mural that encapsulated everything about her.
"I wanted to make something for her parents so they could be happy and also use this campaign to revisit the memory of their daughter."
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