The Donor Memorial in Fourways is open to the public
The moment when a family makes a decision to give another the gift of life by donating the organs of a loved one can be very emotionally charged. But what happens afterwards? How do donor families heal?
Procurement transplant co-ordinator Kim Crymble says Organ Donor Tribute Day is an annual event in Johannesburg to mark the lives of those who have given life to others. The tribute day started in 2001 through a donation from a patient who had received a kidney; he wanted to acknowledge the donor. Transplant staff in Johannesburg put their heads together, and Tribute Day has now become an annual event.
The event involves the families who agreed to donate and the recipients who have received the organs. The names of Johannesburg-based organ donors for each year are etched onto a memorial stone plaque, which is unveiled during the ceremony.
Tribute Day has been described as “… mournful, because it is the acknowledgement that a loved one is no longer present, and there are lots of tears, tears of sorrow at the loss and tears of joy for the new life. But donor families appreciate the fact that they know that people’s lives are enriched by it. So it is really bittersweet, because it can also be joyous in some ways. It brings comfort to know that the name of the donor is acknowledged.”
The Donor Memorial at Fourways is open to the public.
Tribute to Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital
The Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH – formerly Johannesburg General Hospital), has been a leading institution for organ transplantation in South Africa for 50 years. The first kidney transplant was performed at the former Johannesburg General Hospital and today, CMJAH is the referral site for kidney, pancreas and liver transplantation for many provinces including Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga and the Free State. The hospital has 1 088 available beds with professional and support staff that exceed 4 000 people. It is also one of the Faculty of Health Sciences teaching hospitals for the University of the Witwatersrand and has trained a large number of healthcare professionals in the field of transplantation. Thank you to all the dedicated staff, who in spite of many difficulties over many decades have cared for over 4 000 transplant recipients.