Baby Karien’s immune system needs a little help so she needs to find a blood stem donor; DKMS Africa welcomes new donors to register to help her.
South Africa (11 November 2021) – DKMS Africa have started raising awareness for baby Karien Swanepoel. The 7-month-old needs a blood stem donor to help build up her immune system. Her family hopes to find a match soon, so if you want to help, this is how.
7-month-old Baby Karien is in desperate need of a life-saving blood stem transplant from a matching donor, and you could be her only hope. DKMS have shared her story to raise awareness and hopefully get more people to sign up for the global registry.
Karien was diagnosed with SCID (Severe Combined Immuno-Deficiency) after a range of extensive and intensive diagnostic tests. SCID, also known as “bubble baby syndrome”, means that Karien has no immune system.
She is unable to fight off even a mild infection, which can be very scary for any parent. With an early blood stem donation, frequent health checks and treating any infections almost immediately, she stands an excellent chance of living a full and happy life.
The Swanepoel family is sending out a desperate plea for as many qualifying blood stem cell donors to join the DKMS donor registry. Every new donor gives Karien the chances she needs.
“Karien is such a special little girl who has touched the lives of so many people in such a short span of time. Finding a match for her will be an incredible blessing but if someone else finds their match through this process then it will be all the more meaningful. Please register today,” pleads Mom Natasja.
Anyone who is healthy and between the ages of 18 – 55 can register to become a donor for anyone with a life-threatening blood disorder and in need of a life-saving transplant. Request a swab kit to register as a blood stem cell donor today https://dkms-africa.org/be-a-donor/
There are other ways to support blood cancer and blood disorder patients if you are not eligible to donate blood #StemCells. You can help DKMS Africa spread awareness, host donor drives, contribute financially and order and distribute swab kits to your network. You can find out more here.
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