UKZN Hosts Stimulating Debate on Importance of Committed Stem Cell Donors in SA
The life of eight-year-old Avukile Shandu of Estcourt in KwaZulu-Natal was changed for the better forever, thanks to a stem cell transplant that brought tears of joy to her mother, Ms Thobile Khumalo.
Her moving story resonated deeply with attendees at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) flagship event titled: ‘The Importance of Committed Stem Cell Donors in South Africa – A Dialogue’, which was held at the University’s Medical School campus in collaboration with the non-profit organisation, DKMS Africa, which is dedicated to fighting blood cancer and blood disorders by giving patients a second chance at life.
DKMS’s slogan: ‘We Delete Blood Cancer’ emphasises the organisation’s ambitious goal to recruit one million diverse donors to the South African registry by 2030.
“Currently, 186 000 potential life savers and donors have joined the global cause. Our goal is to reach 200 000 by the end of 2026,” said DKMS Head of Donor Recruitment and Data Management, Mr Xolani Hlongwane, who was programme director at UKZN’s stem cell discussion event in April.
Hlongwane said DKMS registers donors from the age of 17 (eligible to donate at 18).
“I think it is very important for us to grow the numbers in our registry, especially adding people of colour to enable us to afford the same level of treatment and access to stem transplantation when diagnosed with blood cancer and related disorders.”
Speaking on behalf of UKZN’s Executive Director of Corporate Relations, Dr Normah Zondo, the Director of Corporate Affairs, Ms Xoliswa Zulu, said: “Today’s engagement is part of UKZN’s ongoing collaboration with DKMS, borne out of the memorandum of understanding, signed by both parties in 2024.
Zulu said: “This conversation reflects our shared commitment to raising awareness and advancing action to address blood-related disorders, including blood cancers.”
Zulu noted that while success stories such as Avukile’s offer hope, many patients are still waiting for compatible donors.
“Avukile’s journey reminds us that what we are discussing here is immediate,” she said. “It speaks to what is possible when a suitable donor is found, but it also highlights a difficult reality, which is that many patients are still waiting. For those who are still waiting, the search for a compatible donor is not a distant concern, but a daily uncertainty,” Zulu said.
She encouraged participants to play an active role, either by registering as donors or advocating within their communities.
The event kicked off with a robust and informative panel discussion where UKZN Senior Lecturer and Clinical Haematology Consultant for KZN’s Department of Health at Victoria Mxenge Hospital, Dr Gugu Jali, said: “Stem cell transplant affords our patients a chance of cure from aggressive blood disorders and cancers. Having a registry of healthy, educated and committed stem cell donors is vital for patients to have another chance at life.”
Jali highlighted that donors mainly needed to have maintained a healthy lifestyle, particularly a healthy diet and exercise safe sex practices. “Having infections is the major factor that excludes young adults from being donors in our population – HIV and Hepatitis B infections, for example.”
Specialist Paediatrician and Clinical Haematologist at eThekwini Heart Hospital, Dr Keshnie Moodley, said it was important for the public to know that up to 70% of childhood cancers were curable. Moodley said parents and guardians needed to be educated on how to detect early warning signs of childhood cancer so that healthcare practitioners could have an early pick-up rate, making referrals to specialist oncologists or haematologists.
Moodley and colleagues from South Africa’s CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation – the non-profit organisation that advocates for the health and well-being of children and teenagers diagnosed with cancer or life-threatening blood disorders and their families – lobbied for wider public awareness of what the profession has termed Siluan’s Warning Signs of Childhood Cancer:
S – Seek medical help early for ongoing symptoms
I – White spot in the eye, new squint, sudden blindness or bulging eyeball
L – Lump on the stomach, pelvis, head, arms, legs, testicle or glands
U – Unexplained fever present for over two weeks, weight loss, fatigue, pale appearance, easy bruising and bleeding
A – Aching bones, joints and back and easy fractures
N – Neurological signs, a change in walk, balance or speech, regression, continuous headaches with or without vomiting and enlarged head.
A moving short video highlighting the impact of stem cell donation was screened before the interactive and highly informative question-and-answer session.
Panellists said: “To our future doctors in the room, we need you to master the art of listening to the patients in order to make early diagnosis. As a healthcare practitioner, if you suspect that the patient’s condition is worrying, ask for a blood swab and send it to the lab immediately.”
Choc Childhood Cancer Foundation KZN Regional Manager, Mrs Agie Govender warned, “The myths and stigmas in the communities are shocking!” Govender said raising awareness was critical because people, especially children, would otherwise never get diagnosed. She appealed to the audience to register with DKMS as donors.
UKZN’s Ndaba recently published the heartening news of Family Medicine Specialist, Professor Andrew Ross, who was given a second chance at life through DKMS. This was Ross’ call to action at UKZN’s Medical School in 2024.
Words: Lunga Memela
Photograph: Sethu Dlamini
