KZN Business Women Donate R60k to DKMS Africa, Supporting People with Blood Cancer

Ingrid Sibusisiwe Mangcu Women Entrepreneurs colleague Women International

Photo Credit: Pexels

KZN Women in Business have donated their profits, totalling R60K, to DKMS Africa in the hopes of helping more people find their stem cell matches.

South Africa (08 December 2022) – The KZN Women in Business (KZNWIB) ladies recently held their annual charity handover event. This year, the women selected DKMS Africa as the worthy recipient of their hard-earned profits.

The incredible women raised a total of R60 000,00 for their nominated charity for 2022, DKMS Africa (formerly known as the Sunflower Fund).

“As an NPO, we donate all of our profits to a charity that is elected by our members each year,” explains Sue St. Leger-Stretch, KZNWIB Chairperson 2022/2023.

“We are thrilled to have been able to support DKMS this year and the incredible work they do in growing the blood stem cell register in order to provide blood cancer (Leukaemia) patients with a second chance at life.”

Pictured (L-R): Sue St Leger-Stretch (KZNWIB Chairperson 2022/2023), Nockey Mkhize (DKMS Africa Regional Manager – KwaZulu Natal Donor Recruitment) and Bianca Johnson (KZNWIB Vice-Chairperson 2022/2023)

The vision of DKMS is to fight blood cancer. That’s why they are constantly working to convince as many people as possible to join the blood stem cell register.

DKMS Africa shared that a blood stem cell is an immature cell that can develop into all types of blood cells, including white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. Blood stem cells are found in the peripheral blood and the bone marrow. Also called a hematopoietic stem cell.

They hope that by getting more people registered, they can find more matches and save more lives! The donated funds will go towards the expensive but necessary testing process done for each new person who registers as a donor.

Registering is a simple three-step process. South Africans between the ages of 18 and 55 years old can visit the DKMS Africa site, where they will answer a brief questionnaire to determine whether they can safely donate.

Those who are eligible will be sent a swab kit to their home at no cost to them. Once received, they will need to swab the inside of their mouth and cheeks, and a courier will collect the kit within five days. The swabs will be analysed to determine their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) characteristics in order to be matched with patients who share these. Once the samples have been analysed, the donor will be added to the registry for patients searching for a donor.