School principal raises awareness about organ donation

August was Organ Donor Month and Themba Temba, the principal of Nokuphila Primary School, shared his story as a kidney transplant recipient.

“I had a kidney transplant in August 2013. Before that, in 2002, I started having migraines and headaches, which I assumed were just normal.

“I eventually suffered from high blood pressure and the general practitioner only prescribed painkillers until late 2002 when I was sent for a brain scan.

“They couldn’t find anything. That’s when a specialist diagnosed me with hypertension. But it was too late. My kidneys were damaged but the doctors were still not aware of this because they didn’t test my creatinine levels.”

For the next seven years, Temba lived with badly damaged kidneys.

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Doctors noticed Temba’s kidneys were both in chronic failure during a medical check-up.

The prognosis was dismal. Temba was understandably taken aback when he learned that, while not feeling ill at that moment, he was on the verge of death without treatment.

Temba looked into the several dialysis options and decided on peritoneal dialysis, which had fewer restrictions than hemodialysis, which he began in December 2011.

He had to undergo dialysis every four hours, every day, in a locked, ultra-hygienic environment and was restricted to a specific diet for the next two years.

“Imagine dividing your life into four hours or fewer each day for two years. I didn’t have much of a life. I was number 4 750 on the waiting list for kidney. They called me in August 2013 to tell me they had located a match for me and I underwent a kidney transplant.”

Apart from having to take medication, Temba lives a normal life.

“I dedicate my time to uplifting children and the community through my role as principal at Nokuphila Primary School.”

Thanks to the selfless act of one family, Temba is now able to change the lives of hundreds of families in his community.

Temba believes that people lacking understanding of organ donation contributes to more people desperate for organ donation.

“We need to educate our communities because it’s about saving lives.”

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