Lwandile Needs a Matching Stem Cell Donor

Lwandile Dreams of Becoming an Engineer. Now He Needs a Matching Donor

Being the firstborn of four children, Lwandile has always held an important place in his family, but his life changed when he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), a serious blood cancer. Now, his survival depends on finding a matching stem cell donor.

His journey started in October last year when he developed a persistent cough and started losing weight. After around two months of symptoms and several visits to the hospital, his family received got the news that he had blood cancer.

Instead of focusing on school and spending time with his family, Lwandile began chemotherapy immediately, undergoing intensive treatment cycles lasting around 28 days, followed by short breaks. While the treatment has been gruelling, his family continued to hold onto hope that he can one day return to the life he knew before cancer.

“He is so brilliant. He is my rock,” says his mother, Bongiwe.

“Before his diagnosis, Lwandile was a curious and creative teenager who loved drawing and had big dreams for his future. As the eldest of four children, he is always fixing things around the house, with dreams of becoming an engineer one day,” she added.

A family donor search was conducted to find a matching donor, but sadly, none of Lwandile’s siblings were a match. His family must now look beyond their immediate family in the hope of finding a stranger who could be his lifesaving match.

For Bongiwe, caring for her son has also meant making difficult sacrifices. The frequent trips for treatment and ongoing care eventually left her with no choice but to leave her job.

“I had to leave my job because I had depleted my leave days, sick leave days and everything because I had to go back and forth. I needed to be there for him and take care of him,” Bongiwe shared.

Now, Lwandile and his family are hoping that somewhere out there is someone who could be his match.

Register as a stem cell donor and help give patients like Lwandile a second chance at life. Remember, all costs related to the donation process are taken care of by DKMS Africa.

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