The bone marrow registry recorded a 65% increase in registered youth donors, translating to more than 3 000 possible donors. (Getty)
Thousands of youth have signed up to become bone marrow stem cell donors since South Africa became the second country in the world to allow people aged 16 to become donors in 2020.
At any given time, there are 200 patients awaiting a bone marrow stem cell transplant — according to the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) — and without a suitable donor match, their chance of survival is slim.
The registry recorded a 65% increase in young donors in 2021. This translates to more than 3 000 young South Africans joining the registry, which has more than 73 000 donors up to the eligible age of 45 years.
Nadia Chalkley, head of donor recruitment, welcomed the upward trend, adding that most people who recently joined the registry were aged 16 to 35 years.
“Many young people are eager to get involved in the world around them and want to be a driving force for change,” Chalkley said in a statement. “They don’t want to wait till they’re older to make a difference — even if they’re not in a position to give financially, they want to give in other ways.”
The registry ascribes the youth registrations to donor drives held at schools and universities when Covid-19 restrictions were lifted.
“Students in the big metropoles, where most of our donor efforts were concentrated, have been so receptive to our message and it’s given us an opportunity to educate and debunk many of the myths that surround bone marrow stem cell donation,” Chalkley said.
The chief executive of the registry, Charlotte Ingram, told the Mail & Guardian last year that cultural and religious beliefs, largely due to a misunderstanding of religious views, and ignorance of the donation process were some of the biggest deterrents to potential donors.
She said perhaps the biggest misconception was that the procedure was painful, explaining that a non-surgical procedure was followed to collect stem cells from donors. It is only in very rare cases that marrow can be collected through the bone in a procedure performed under general anaesthetic.
Chalkley believes young people have the power to change societal perceptions, including that of bone marrow stem cell donation: “They have the energy and enthusiasm and can offer fresh perspectives on relevant issues.”
Bone marrow transplants — or “stem cell” transplants — might be the best chance of recovery for patients with blood disorders.
In celebration of Youth Month, the registry is urging people to use the hashtag #SwabtoSave on social media as part of efforts to increase bone marrow donor registrations by 16- to 35-year-olds. This is in the hope of adding 1 000 new sign-ups before the end of June.
Registering is easy, says Chalkley, outlining two steps:
An online health history form must be completed together with a cheek swab, which is done at one of the registry’s several depots or a kit can be couriered free of charge.
Once registered, the cheek swab is tested and the results are uploaded to the bone marrow registry database.
The South African Bone Marrow Registry is the only accredited member of the World Marrow Donor Association in Africa, enabling it to collaborate with 70 registries worldwide to search for compatible stem cell donors. Countries such as Germany, Russia, Spain and Cyprus have donated stem cells to South Africa, while local donors have helped patients in Sweden, England, France and Austria, among other countries.
Anyone aged 16 to 45 who wants to become a donor can contact the SABMR at 021- 447-8638 or email: [email protected].
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