GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - “It has made me think about the value of life in every second that's left,” reflects Mayrun, an author, tarot reader, and jewellery maker.
He registered after losing a friend to cancer at just 23 and surviving his own cancer scare. “If I could speak to the person who received my cells, I’d say: ‘I’m glad that I was able to give you that chance at the life that you never imagined.’”
Many other donors agreed with that sentiment, drawn by the same sense of urgency and responsibility. For some, it was a family’s battle with illness that lit the spark. For others, like Siphosethu, a small business owner juggling two enterprises, it was the simple knowledge that a few hours of commitment could change an entire life. “I’d do it again and again,” she says.
“I’d tell anyone thinking about it: start now, not next week or month-end. You could be saving a life in the next minute.”
Even those who joined on a whim were moved by the experience. Brandon, a fourth-year medical student, had barely thought about registering until the call came months later. “I thought it was a prank,” he laughs. “But once it sank in, I realised how big this really was. Even small actions can make a massive difference.”
For many, the act of donation brought a profound sense of purpose. Paediatric nurse Monique had witnessed her mother battle cancer and felt compelled to spare another family that pain. “I feel like I directly helped save someone's life and changed their entire family for the better,” she shares.
“It’s just a little swab in your mouth, then a few hours during donation. But it can completely change and save someone’s life. I will never be the same after doing that.”
The 33 donors are part of a growing movement of South Africans ready to answer the call. “Every donor is a living reminder that the power to change lives, both others’ and our own, lies within us all,” says Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communications at DKMS Africa. “And every new registration is someone choosing to activate that power.”
The message is unanimous: don’t wait. Start now. These stories show that ordinary people can do extraordinary things, and that one decision can ripple far beyond what we imagine.
Ready to change a life and discover the extraordinary within yourself? Register today at https://www.dkms-africa.org/save-lives.
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