Menu
  • Home
  • About
      • Background and Mission
      • What We Do
      • Key Activities in The Donor Search Process
      • SABMR Board and Governance
      • Banking Details
      • Press Releases
      • World Marrow Donor Day (#WMDD)
      • Patient Services Leaflet (PDF)
      • Sponsors
    • Close
  • Celebrating Life
    • Stories about Patients
    • Stories About Donors
    • Close
  • Medical professionals
      • Protocol and Forms
      • Donor Search
    • Close
  • Join the Registry
      • Become a Donor
      • Become a Volunteer
      • Donor Exclusion Criteria
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Submit a Tender
    • Close
  • Blog
  • Update your details
  • Contact us
  • 0 itemsR0.00

South African Bone Marrow Registry

  • DONATE
  • CALL NOW: +27 21 447 8638
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • could be someone's
    YOU
    tomorrow!
  • SABMR
    COVID-19 Update
  • SABMR
    Your hope for a tomorrow
  • Become a stem cell donor
    TODAY!
    CLICK HERE
  • Patient Services
    View Our Information Leaflet
    CLICK HERE
FINDING A MATCH TO SAVE A LIFE

Blog

Home » Blog » ANSWERING THE CALL

HI, I'M THEMBATEE, 

and this is my blog for the South African Bone Marrow Registry. It’s the Registry’s 30th birthday this year, and to celebrate, all year long I’ll be bringing you stories of the lives of the donors and patients we work with every single day—stories filled with tears and with laughter, with selflessness and second chances, and above all, with hope.

Good day, readers! It’s ThembaTee back with a healing–in more ways than one!–story for you.

 

Some people are called to healing from a young age. One such example is Nicola Kassier, a former student at Stellenbosch University, who had known since she was just a teen that she wanted to find a way to help patients on cancer journeys.

 

Her opportunity came when, in February 2010, she donated bone marrow stem cells for a cancer patient in need of a transplant–and saved his life.

ANSWERING THE CALL

For as long as she can recall, Nicola Kassier has had a heart for cancer patients. She remembers in Grade 12 hoping that someday she’d have the opportunity to make a significant impact in the life of someone battling cancer. She didn’t realise then that just a few years later, she’d have that chance—and save a life in the process.

In 2008, Nicola was a first-year student at the University of Stellenbosch when she came across a bone marrow registration event being held on campus. She had heard about bone marrow before; in fact, she’d even been in contact with the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) earlier in the year, when she heard about a young girl named Suzie in need of a transplant and phoned the Registry to say she was willing to help. The SABMR told her that while she likely wouldn’t be a match for Suzie, she could begin the process of registering to be a bone marrow donor, and someday she may be a match for another patient in need. Finding a bone marrow donor suitable for a patient is a very tricky process, and requires a specific test to see if two people’s “haplotypes” match. The chance of finding a suitable donor for a patient is just 1 in 100 000–which is why doctors need organisations like the SABMR, to help them find the right person.

So, when she saw the campus registration drive, she jumped on the opportunity to sign up. At the time, the bone marrow donor registration process included a blood sample, so Nicola gave a vial of blood and completed a short health questionnaire. (By the way, donors registering today don’t have to give vials of blood; rather, they just need to complete a simple, painless cheek swab.)

Unfortunately, the young girl that Nicola had phoned for didn’t find a donor in time and did not survive. But, thanks to Suzie, another South African patient did—and that donor was Nicola. Just over a year after she registered, the Registry contacted Nicola to say she was a potential match for a different South African patient in need, this time a man just a few years older than herself. Further tests confirmed that she was a perfect match. May Suzie’s soul rest in peace. Often, bone marrow transplants are a “last resort” treatment option, which means that by the time they are required, the patient may be very sick and the transplant needed urgently. This is why we need as many donors as possible–to give everyone a chance to find a donor in time, before it is too late.

In February 2010, at the age of just 20 years old, Nicola donated her bone marrow stem cells for her miracle match. The SABMR flew her mom to Cape Town to be by her side during the procedure, which occurred at Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic Hospital.

Leading up to her donation, Nicola was nervous but determined to move forward. “I was very anxious but I wanted to do it anyways,” she says. “I didn’t know much about it, but I knew that I wanted to do it, that it was the right thing to do.” In the few days prior to her donation, Nicola received the set of injections given to donors to encourage their bodies to produce surplus bone marrow stem cells.

Nicola was awake and chatting during her donation, which lasted eight hours. And although the procedure made her slightly nauseous, “I still ate all the chocolate pudding they gave me!” she jokes.

Because the patient she was donating for was slightly larger than herself, Nicola ended up needing to donate two days in a row to ensure enough stem cells were collected to transplant the patient. Nicola was exhausted when the donation was over, but in looking back, she refers to it as an “amazing and emotional experience.”

“I cried and laughed a lot,” she remembers. “I really felt connected emotionally to the man I was donating for. It was knowing that he was getting chemotherapy to receive my cells, and that he was really suffering, all for the chance of getting well, for the chance that my cells might save him. It was a giving of myself to help this person.” What a beautiful way to look at it! Thank you Nicola for giving such a wonderful insight into the donation process.

Now 32, Nicola is a counselor, helping others navigate their own emotional journeys. And she still has a heart for cancer patients: when a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer (who has since recovered), Nicola joined her in passing out care package to other cancer patients at a Pretoria hospital. In October 2019, Nicola and her husband moved to Calgary, Canada, where she says they’ve met many South Africans.

To her friends and family considering registering to be bone marrow donors, Nicola urges them to follow their heart, just like she did. “If it’s in your heart to donate, do it,” she says. Because if you do, you may just save a life.

Helping doesn’t also look the way we think it’s going to–in Nicola’s case, she thought she could help Suzie, but even though that wasn’t an option, she still had the opportunity to help someone else. At the end of the day, what matters is that we do what we can to help whoever we can, because at some point, we all need a helping hand. That’s why we’re encouraging everyone ages 16 to 45 to register as bone marrow donors. If you’re ready to register, click “Become a Donor” on the menu above.

Reader, that’s it for now, but if you like these stories, give our pages below a follow and you’ll get all of my stories as soon as they are posted. Thanks for joining me on this journey!

Till next time,

THEMBETEE

For more stories like this, click here to view our special edition 30th anniversary magazine

Follow us

Share the good news



Is your child on a transplant journey?

In 2020, the SABMR teamed up with 11-year-old transplant recipient Rachel Ancer and her family to produce Rachel’s Second Chance, an illustrated children’s book and educational booklet on bone marrow transplants. With hope, humour, and insight, including key elements of the transplant process and advice on what to expect during a transplant journey, Rachel’s Second Chance is a resource for the whole family.

Available for sale for R79.95 (e-book for R39.95).

BUY NOWBUY NOW (ebook)

Want some good news in your inbox?


Thank you for your interest in subscribing to our e-newsletter.

Subscribe to our email newsletter to get Registry updates and stories about the patients and donors who make our work possible.

Your details will then automatically be sent to us and you will be added to our list.

Newsletter Subscribe

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

GET IN TOUCH

+27 21 447 8638
+27 21 404 6395
patients@sabmr.co.za
donors@sabmr.co.za

FIND US

Navigate

Site info

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Statement
  • Special Edition 30th Anniversary Digital Magazine
  • Virtual Stand

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR)

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

sabonemreg

It is the last day for you to participate in our s It is the last day for you to participate in our survey. If you would like to be entered into the draw for the R2 500 cash prize. Snap the QR code on the poster or follow the link in our bio
July is World Cord Blood Awareness Month and we're July is World Cord Blood Awareness Month and we're spreading awareness with our partners @next_biosciences 

Why is umbilical cord blood important you ask? Umbilical cord blood contains stem cells that can be used in the regeneration of bone marrow and can replace diseased or damaged cells with new healthy cells. Bone marrow stem cells rebuilds a person’s blood and immune system. 
Click on the link in our bio for more information on stem cells.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pjcDWVxrNQ 
#communitybank #stemcellbanking #cordblood #cordbloodawareness #bonemarrow
Six-year-old, Fanele Memela, wants nothing more th Six-year-old, Fanele Memela, wants nothing more than to spend as much time with her baby brother as she can. Unfortunately due to her diagnosis of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, she spends many days in hospital undergoing chemotherapy as she awaits a bone marrow stem cell donor match. You can help by donating towards the cost of the search for her donor at the link in our bio
Diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia at the age of only Diagnosed with Fanconi Anaemia at the age of only six months, Kiara Rossouw (18) needs our help to find a matching donor for a bone marrow stem cell transplant. Her family has already suffered so much having lost her younger brother in 2019 to the same genetic disease. We will be hosting a drive at the APK Church in Rustenburg on the 9th of July. Please come and sign up to give Kiara and her family a second chance!
As a toddler with leukaemia facing a slim (10%) ch As a toddler with leukaemia facing a slim (10%) chance of surviving, Rebecca Stinger needed a miracle. That miracle came in the form of Zyta Foxcroft, who donated bone marrow stem cells to save Rebecca’s life. Now 18 and 14 years cancer-free, Rebecca is embracing life! Read at the link in our bio
Thank you to @westville_senior_primary for hostin Thank you to @westville_senior_primary  for hosting a drive for one of their own today. Siyamthanda Nxasana is in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant and awaiting her perfect match. Students, community members, and teachers came out in their droves this morning to sign up and show their support for this cause. It was great meeting all of you and inspirational to see how communities pull together in a time of need. #SwabtoSave
If you have not yet done so, please answer our sho If you have not yet done so, please answer our short survey about bone marrow stem cell donation and you could win R2 500 in cash! Follow the link in our bio or scan the QR code in the image.
Thank you to Varsity College Durban North for allo Thank you to Varsity College Durban North for allowing us to host a drive at your campus this week. A big shout out to each and every student who came to learn more about bone marrow stem cell donation and signed up as donors to help us save lives! 💙
Happy Youth Day South Africa. As the saying goes: Happy Youth Day South Africa. 
As the saying goes: "Our children are our future", but often, many children's lives are cut short, because of a lack of bone marrow stem cell donors. Give children with blood disorders a future by signing up as a donor at www.sabmr.co.za
Did you know that the odds of finding a bone marro Did you know that the odds of finding a bone marrow stem cell donor match is like finding a needle in a haystack? There's only 1 in 100 000 chance that you can be someone's match -  that's why we are continuously recruiting to give someone a second chance at life.  Can we count on you to be the ONE? Sign up at www.sabmr.co.za
June is Youth Month and we're celebrating by givin June is Youth Month and we're celebrating by giving SA youth the chance to be part of positive change. We're recruiting volunteers across the country to help us save lives through our 50 Squad initiative - are you game to become a hero? 
See the details on poster #swabtosave #YouthMonth
Hi everyone! @themba_tee27 here, sharing the beau Hi everyone! @themba_tee27  here, sharing the beautiful story of a brave new mother who, just six months after giving birth to her first child, took the chance to save someone’s life. Brenda Masuku became the SABMR’s first black donor in 2003 – and just a few years later got the chance to meet the little girl for whom she donated. Read more at the link in our bio
Our POV (Point of View) we really like connecting Our POV (Point of View) we really like connecting with you. Follow, like, chat, share and comment on our social media channels. Find us on Instagram and Twitter @sabonemreg or @sabonemarrow on Tik Tok
“Alone we can do so little, together we can do s “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”- Helen Keller
 
It is only through collaboration with likeminded partners that we’re able to continue to save lives. We’d like to congratulate @intercare_  on their 20th year anniversary. Here’s wishing you many more decades of growth and sustainability in your quest to make people feel better”.
Did you know - signing up as a bone marrow stem ce Did you know - signing up as a bone marrow stem cell donor and the registration process is absolutely free? With the rising cost of living, there's not  much free anything these days!  So, what are you waiting for? If you're between the ages of 16 and 45, be a good Samaritan and sign up to give someone a second chance at life.
STOP SCROLLING Fanele needs your help! At only 6 y STOP SCROLLING Fanele needs your help! At only 6 years old, this Durbanite is relying on the kindness of a stranger to give her a second chance at life as none of her family members are a viable bone marrow stem cell match. Could you be the one? Sign up as a donor at www.sabmr.co.za  or make a financial donation that will help ramp up donor recruitment efforts to save her life her at the @backabuddy  link in our bio
Answer our short survey about bone marrow stem cel Answer our short survey about bone marrow stem cell donation and you could win 
R2 500 in cash! Follow the link in our bio to participate
Did you know that you can sign up as a volunteer f Did you know that you can sign up as a volunteer for the SABMR? Has it always been your dream to make a difference in your community? If you’re between the ages of 16 and 35, and would like to develop your marketing skills and gain workplace experience, sign up to become a volunteer bone marrow donor recruiter. See details on poster and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
NEW BLOG ALERT! Hi Readers, thanks for joining me NEW BLOG ALERT!

Hi Readers, thanks for joining me! Today I tell the harrowing story of the baby boy whose first year of life would be a greater medical challenge than most of us face in a lifetime.  At just six months old, Ian Zwanepoel was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease. Then he became the youngest child for whom the SABMR had ever facilitated a bone marrow transplant. Read his story at the link in our bio! @themba_tee27
Three cheers for the majestic Mpumalanga! Thank yo Three cheers for the majestic Mpumalanga! Thank you for welcoming us with open arms and giving us the chance to recruit donors at not one, but two drives this week. We were at Penryn College and the mall today and the support was overwhelming. Thank you for helping us save lives 💙
Load More… Follow on Instagram


© 2017. South African Bone Marrow Registry. All rights reserved. Website by Terri Love Designs.