Only 0.04% of South Africans are registered as stem cell donors and of that, only 30% are of African descent.
This was revealed by Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdateir (DKMS), a non-profit donor centre which helps sick people find bone marrow donors.
This statistic means that people with blood diseases like leukaemia and x-linked sideroblastic anaemia may continue to suffer.
Thabo Maleka, 36, is a patient suffering from x-linked sideroblastic anaemia since 2012. This disease, which is an inherited disease, means Maleka’s developing red blood cells are unable to make enough haemoglobin.
“When I first got sick I was battling constant dizziness, tiredness and shortness of breath. Just going up a slope would completely tire me out. I also had a pale tongue and hands,” he said.
Maleka said he only found out what was making him sick in 2017 after seeing a number of doctors and finally getting a bone marrow test. “I went to do tests and they could not find anything wrong with me,” he said.
He tried to find work despite being sick and got an apprenticeship to be an electrician but was battling to do his job because he was always dizzy.
Maleka, who lives in Moletji in Limpopo, has to travel to Pretoria once a month to do tests and a check-up. “I don’t work, so the trip is financially taxing. Luckily, I am on my mother’s medical aid which means I can get the right medical attention; but I want to earn my own money and support my child,” he said.
“Because I am constantly dizzy, it’s not easy to find a job because I can’t do much manual labour such as carrying boxes. We need people to register because there is not a whole lot of people who are on the system. Maybe one of them out there is my donor,” he said.
Unathi Mtengwane, 36, was diagnosed with T-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2017.
After going into remission after intensive chemotherapy and radiation on his spine and brain molecular, cancer was detected in his system last year and a blood stem cell transplant is needed to save his life but has not found a donor yet.
“Cancer is not specific to any colour or race; it can affect anyone. We need to think about our families and larger community and not wait for ourselves or someone close to us to be affected. Your donation is important, it saves lives,” said Mtengwane.
DKMS Africa director of corporate communications, Palesa Mokomele, said people of African descent are less likely to find a donor. “This is because their best chance of survival is a stem cell transplant, but currently, only 0,04% of South Africans are registered as donors.
"Of those, 70% are of European descent, which means that blood cancer patients of African descent and mixed ethnicity have less chance of finding an appropriate donor as a match is highest among donors from a patient’s own ethnic group. DKMS Africa exists to make a difference to Africa by giving all patients a second chance at life.”
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