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
Home » Hikers to summit SA’s highest Peak to raise awareness of blood disorders

Hikers to summit SA’s highest Peak to raise awareness of blood disorders

27 August, 2020

Two courageous hikers will scale the mighty Mafadi – SA’s highest peak situated along the Drakensberg mountain range – between 7 and 9 September to say “thank you” to the countless donors who have saved lives, while raising awareness of life-threatening blood disorders, which are on the increase.

Alicia Venter, Search Coordinator for the SA Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) says compared to all cancers, blood cancer cases have been increasing at a much faster pace.While recommended, prevention efforts, such as lifestyle changes, tend to be less effective for hematologic malignancies than for other cancers, which makes a blood stem cell transplant, a patient’s only hope for survival.

“The hike is symbolic of the uphill battle that patients face. Finding a donor is much more complicated than finding a blood match. The important factor in finding a suitable match, is the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) – a complex set of genes in a person’s DNA that regulates immunity. These genes also play a crucial role in whether the body accepts or rejects a transplant. Once a patient’s HLA markers are identified, the search for a matching donor begins. Sadly, in many cases matches aren’t found, which is partly due to a lack of donor diversity.

“In SA, there is a dire need for donors of colour. When it comes to matching HLA types, a patient’s ethnicity plays an important role as HLA markers are inherited. Some ethnic groups have more complex tissue types than others, therefore finding a match is most likely to come from someone of the same ethnic group.

“We hope that the three-day summit to SA’s highest mountain top will focus the nation’s attention on the struggles that patients and their families face and how the simple act of becoming a donor can improve their chance of survival.

“As a modern-day generation, caught up in fast-pace living it’s easy to forget about those who are sick and vulnerable and need our help the most. When attempting a grueling challenge, such as summiting a peak, we become acutely aware of how reliant we are on each other and how each life matters. Ultimately, we want to move beyond blood stem cell donation being a mere act of kindness to something which society views as a moral responsibility and duty, because every transplant has the potential to save a life and we each have a role to play,” remarks Venter.

In just under a fortnight, Clayton Coetzee, a 30-year-old adventurer and bone marrow donor from Cape Town and Gavin Raubenheimer, an expert mountaineer from KwaZulu-Natal will attempt to ascend the majestic Mafadi peak, via a route up Judge Pass.

The duo will start at an altitude of 1 470m from Injisuthi Camp and hike for about five hours till they reach Centenary Hut where they’ll spend the night. On day two, they’ll ascend to the Drakensberg escarpment and then summit Mafadi at a height of 3 451m above sea level.

Coetzee says he jumped at the opportunity to be part of such a special project.

“Bone marrow donation is close to my heart as one of my dearest friends got sick with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) several years ago. It’s then when I heard about the SA Bone Marrow Registry and the life-saving work that they do, and I decided to sign up as a donor.

“It’s a no-brainer to me. Once people realise how easy it is to become a donor and that no needles are involved, more are likely to take up the challenge. All that is required is a simple cheek swab. Should you be matched up with a patient, it’s almost as easy as giving blood. A quick and painless process that could save another’s life.

“I want people to know that blood diseases can affect anyone, regardless of ethnicity or gender. Extending beyond our boundaries or comfort zones – like climbing Mafadi – can be hard but imagine the indelible difference the act of becoming a donor can have on someone else’s life and their loved ones,” encourages Coetzee.

Mountain guide and author, Gavin Raubenheimer has climbed almost every major mountain in southern Africa, and abroad he has guided and climbed in the Andes, Canadian Rockies, French and Swiss Alps, the Atlas Mountains, Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya. But he says this climb is very special.

“I’ve done more than 100 first ascents of rock and ice climbs in SA but being able to actively advocate for bone marrow donation during this climb, is a true privilege. I hope the hike encourages and inspires the public and all those touched by blood disorders to become donors, and to also donate much-needed funds towards the SABMR’s Patient Assistance Programme.”

He says the hike involves a circular route that goes through large mountains and is usually covered in five days of hard walking, but this time round, they’ll be attempting it in three days.

“We’ll cover an average distance of about 25km on the first two days and gain an altitude of 1 600m per day, therefore the gradient is pretty intense. On the last day, there is an altitude drop of 1 650m as we make the descent from the escarpment back to Injisuthi,” says Raubenheimer.

Over the same period, donors will also be doing cheek swabs in Agulhas, the southern-most point and Musina, the northern-most region of South Africa to help boost donor registrations.

Venter calls on South Africans everywhere during Heritage Month to unite behind the campaign by challenging the public to post photos to https://www.facebook.com/sabonemreg/ of them hiking in solidarity with Coetzee and Raubenheimer or by swabbing their cheeks in other unusual places of the country between 7 and 9 September.

“Let’s all rally together behind the cause and by doing so, change the landscape of blood disorders for the better,” she says.

To follow Coetzee and Raubenheimer’s journey to the top of Mafadi, go to https://www.facebook.com/sabonemreg/

If you are between the ages of 18 and 45 and want to become a donor, contact the SABMR on 021 447 8638 or email: donors@sabmr.co.za. For more info and how to donate, visit https://sabmr.co.za/

Filed Under: News from the Office



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.