UWC student Jeanet helps give a stranger more time

A student at the University of the Western Cape, Jeanet registered with DKMS in 2025. She did not know if she would ever be called to donate. She simply knew that if her stem cells could help someone, she was willing to donate.

Then, she got the call that she was a match.

Before going ahead with the donation, Jeanet spoke to her mother. Like any parent, she was worried about her daughter and wanted to understand what the donation would involve. But when Jeanet explained that she had been found to be a match and that she could potentially help save someone’s life, her mother supported her decision.

Her roommate was also initially nervous about the process. After Jeanet explained what she had been told by the DKMS team and what the donation would involve, she became one of Jeanet’s biggest supporters.

On the day of the donation, Jeanet travelled to the hospital with her roommate, who carried her overnight bag.

“At the hospital, a DKMS representative welcomed me and told me how proud she was of me,” said Jeanet.

As Jeanet walked into the donation room, she saw other patients and found herself thinking about the person waiting on the other side of her donation.

“My mind told me that I will be giving another person a chance to live and laugh. Hospital staff came to wish me well, offering smiles and words of encouragement.”

Growing up surrounded by people who were willing to care for and support one another, even when they were not family, Jeanet understands what it means for strangers to show up for each other.

For Jeanet, being a donor was about giving someone the chance to have more time, more laughter, more memories and more moments with the people they love.

Be like Jeanet and register as a stem cell donor. If you are already registered, remember to keep your contact details up to date so that you can be reached when the time comes.