Sunflower Month Campaign
Join the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders this sunflower month!
Every hour in South Africa, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer or a blood disorder, with their only chance at survival being a stem cell transplant. 30% of patients can receive this lifesaving transplant from their siblings, while 70% of the time they need to rely on strangers to give them a second chance at life. You could be that stranger!
Potential donors have the power to save the lives of patients battling blood cancer and blood disorders. Recently, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow) patient Avukile (7) from KwaZulu-Natal, whose only chance at life was a matching stem cell donor, found a match.
To continuously raise awareness about the plight of patients battling blood cancers and blood disorders, DKMS Africa commemorates Sunflower Day every year in September, a symbol of hope for patients that has been cherished for many years.
Why We Celebrate Sunflower Day
The formation of The Sunflower Fund in 1999 was inspired by the heroic struggle against leukemia of two brave young men, Darren Serebro and Chris Corlett. While he was in treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Chris Corlett painted a picture, which he titled ‘Sunflowers of Hope’. This was the main inspiration for the name of The Sunflower Fund. It was Chris and Darren’s wish that the Bone Marrow Registry develop and grow, so that future leukemia patients may have the opportunity to live a healthy life. Throughout the years, Sunflower Day has stood out as a key health and awareness day in the South African health calendar and now includes community engagement, education, and awareness-raising while also receiving financial support from members of the public, schools, corporates, and other stakeholders.
To date, since amalgamating with DKMS Africa in 2021, over 125 000 potential lifesavers have been recruited, fulfilling the dream of having a diverse donor registry and making the two young men’s wish become a daily reality.
Each and every member of the ever-growing community continues to make an impact and play their part in giving hope and second chances at life. It is time for you to play your part!
What You Can Do:
- : Your donations help us cover the costs of registering new donors. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us move closer to a world where no patient has to wait for a lifesaving match.
- Register as a Stem Cell Donor: By registering, you join a global community of potential lifesavers. You could be the match that gives someone a second chance at life.
- : Educate others about the importance of stem cell donation and encourage them to get involved. The more people who know about the cause, the more lives we can potentially save.