Zibusiso Needs A Stem Cell Donor
Zibusiso’s Fight Against Leukaemia: A Donor Could Save His Life
Zibusiso, who is turning 11 on 18 September, was a bright, cheerful boy who loved rugby. He was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, and now needs a matching stem cell donor to get a second chance at life. That donor could be YOU.
Described by his mother, Londiwe, as very reserved yet talkative when he’s around people he’s comfortable with, life took an unexpected turn for Zibusiso earlier this year. Londiwe said that she noticed something wasn’t right around May. She recalls that Zibusiso’s teacher told her that he was distant and had behavioral issues. “I thought maybe he was stressed. I even took him to a psychologist for a few sessions, but he wasn’t interested. Then he got the flu. I took him to a GP who gave him antibiotics, but he didn’t get better,” Londiwe shared.
After persistent symptoms, including nasal congestion, occasional abdominal pain, and bruises that were initially attributed to rugby, Londiwe grew concerned. “The bruises… we thought they were from rugby. But then I noticed the lymph nodes on his neck, they were so big, it was only a matter of a week before we took him to the doctor again.”
On 18 June 2025, Zibusiso was admitted to the hospital. The next day, Londiwe received the news that no parent ever wants to hear: “They told me he had leukaemia. At that time, they didn’t know the type yet, but they said 98% of his blood had leukaemia.”
The news hit the family hard. “It was very difficult. He didn’t know what was wrong and was even googling the symptoms himself,” Londiwe shared. “I didn’t want to break the news to him yet. I just wanted to know: what is the next step? How do we help him? That’s all I could think about.” Her 12-year-old daughter struggled too: “She was crying non-stop, asking, ‘Why him? Are we all going to get it?’ It was a rough time for all of us.”
Zibusiso is the third of four siblings. The family underwent HLA typing to find a match, but none of the siblings came up as a match. Londiwe explains, “Because of my health, I wasn’t considered the best candidate. We were really hoping, but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Since his diagnosis, Zibusiso’s life has changed dramatically. “He hasn’t been to school since 17 June. He spent most of July in the hospital, then was discharged, but he got sick again during his first block of treatment in early August. He’s much better now, but he’s going back for his second block next week.”
She also highlights the lack of awareness about stem cell donation. “Most people I work with had never heard of DKMS before. Donating blood is common, but stem cell donation isn’t on people’s radar. It should be as obvious as any TV channel to encourage people to donate and help others.”
Zibusiso’s story is a reminder of how critical donor registration is and the impact one person can make. “Even if you’re not doing it for my child,” Londiwe emphasizes, “how many other children are out there waiting for a match? We need people to step up. You could be the one to give a second chance at life.”
Remember, all costs related to the donation process are taken care of by DKMS Africa.
