Jamie-Lee celebrates 10 cancer-free years

THE South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) celebrated World Cancer Day today, 4 February, which gives hope to patients like Jamie-lee Caple, who has been cancer-free for 10 years after undergoing a successful bone marrow stem cell transplant.

Thanks to the help of a generous and selfless bone marrow stem cell donor, Jamie-lee was given a second chance at life.

Taking place under the tagline ‘Not beyond us’, World Cancer Day 2015 took a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach.

All it takes is two test tubes of blood to register as a donor, and if you are ever fortunate enough to be a match for a patient the process of donating bone marrow stem cells is similar to platelet donation – no invasive surgery is required. The chances of a patient finding a match are one in 100 000 within their own ethnic group.

Every new donor registered on The South African Bone Marrow Registry gives hope to patients suffering from life-threatening blood disorders that a life-saving match can be found. Each new donor registered costs The Sunflower Fund R2 000 to be tissue-typed at the required level.

If you are unable to make a donation towards the cost of a test, The Sunflower Fund will happily sponsor the cost.

For more information on becoming a bone marrow stem cell donor visit www.sunflowerfund.org.za or phone toll free number 0800 12 10 82 weekdays between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

To have a donor recruitment specialist do awareness talks or drives at your workplace or school, contact Mandy Bergsma on 071 443 8317 or mandy@sunflowerfund.org.za.

Should you wish to make a donation to The Sunflower Fund, deposits can be made in favour of The Sunflower Fund, ABSA Bank, Tokai branch (632 005), account number 405 183 4719, reference KZN donor.