YOU could save a precious life!

15 August to 15 October marks Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Months. During this time, vital information on leukaemia is not only shared, but people are also encouraged to join the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) to help those fighting leukaemia and other life threatening blood disorders.These dreaded diseases affect people all over the world, regardless of background, location ethnicity, age or wealth. Every year thousands of people are devastated by the news that they have been diagnosed with a life threatening blood disorder such as leukaemia.Unfortunately leukaemia is the most prevalent of the twelve types of childhood cancers; many children need bone marrow stem cell transplants if they do not respond to treatment. On average there is a 1:100 000 chance of finding an unrelated match within your ethnic group. If you become ill with a blood cancer that requires a bone marrow stem cell transplant, here’s an uncomfortable fact: Your race matters. For a successful transplant, donor and recipient must have nearly identical genes directly relating to their DNA and ethnic background. It has nothing to do with your blood type.“If we could break the myth that stem cell donation is painful, we would have many more people joining the SABMR,” says Lauren Corlett, National PR & Marketing Specialist for The Sunflower Fund. “If you are ever a match, the process is actually much like donating blood and does not involve drilling into bones for bone marrow.”The Sunflower Fund is the only non-profit organisation in Southern Africa committed to increasing SABMR membership. The fund also has to raise money to pay for tissue typing new donor samples. Each test costs The Sunflower Fund N$2 000 and consequently the organisation relies heavily on donations from the public and fundraising events like Bandana Day which falls on 12 October every year.How are stem cells donated?Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Collection is used to collect stem cells. Blood stem cells are found in the bone marrow and in the circulating blood stream (peripheral blood), but in smaller numbers. A growth factor known as granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) occurs naturally in the body and regulates the production of granuloycytes and stem cells. Neupogen, which is a man-made form of G-CSF, is injected daily for five days before collection. This temporarily boosts granulocyte production and encourages movement of the stem cells from the bone marrow where the cells are made, out into the peripheral (circulating) blood.Stem cells can be collected from the peripheral blood by an apheresis machine, also called a cell separator. This procedure, which can be uncomfortable, entails you being connected to the machine by an intravenous line (similar to donating platelets). Your blood is circulated through the machine, which removes the stem cells from your blood. The cells that are not required, are returned to your circulation. Peripheral Blood Stem Cells are equally efficient and comparable to bone marrow for the recipient and are considered to be much less trouble for the donor.One or two collections on consecutive days, each lasting 4-6 hours, may be required. Overnight hospitalisation is not usually necessary except when a central venous catheter (an intravenous line placed into a vein in your groin [femoral vein]) has been used to enable easy access to your blood circulation or when a two-day collection is performed. A general anaesthetic is not required for the procedure either.The effects of G-CSF may include headache, bone pain and flu-like symptoms during the 5-day period the drug is administered, but these symptoms usually recede 1-2 days after the last dose of the drug.During the collection procedure, the donor may experience discomfort at the sites of the needle insertion and a temporary tingling sensation in the body from the anticoagulant used to keep the cells from clotting. No extended recuperation period is usually necessary, although you may feel tired for a few days afterwards.It is important to note that there are no costs involved for you, the donor. Reimbursement of reasonable costs incurred by the donor is possible. The SABMR covers the costs of further testing as well as harvesting of the stem cellsShould you wish to become a donor or make a financial contribution, please contact The Sunflower Fund on +27 21 701 0661 or +264 81 2425 346 or email shelley@sunflowerfund.org.za or visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za

YOU could save a precious life!

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Republikein 2025-07-11

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