Twenty-eight year-old Johannesburg resident, Ramabele Tsolo received a devastating leukaemia diagnosis in 2018 and learned a stem cell transplant was his best chance for survival. Lacking a viable donor in his family, the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) launched an extensive search via its global database to find him an unrelated donor whose stem cells could offer similar survival and quality of life outcomes as a related donor

The odds were against Tsolo. While 60% of total cancer deaths in the country affect black South Africans, only 10% of them are registered as potential stem cell donors on the SABMR database.

This means that only 2.8% of South African black patients referred to the SABMR are likely to find an unrelated donor match. For the remaining 97%, the odds of surviving are slim.

In a fortunate turn of events, Tsolo was matched with Pete Johnson, a 62-year-old* stem cell donor from Texas (USA), who signed up to the U.S National Registry in 1990, more than 30 years ago.

The pair met for the first time at an emotional donor-recipient meeting facilitated by the SABMR and NMDP at the World Marrow Donor Association’s annual International Donor Registry Conference, held in Cape Town last night.

Thirty years had passed since Johnson, who was 57 at the time of his donation, had signed up for donation while in active duty for the U.S. Air Force. Now retired from service, the church minister and avid sports fan immediately answered the call to donate his blood stem cells.

“I was surprised … as it had been so long since I registered, but not once did I think that I would not go through with it,” said Johnson. Once I was confirmed as a match, I wasn’t nervous at all about the actual donation, as I knew I would potentially be saving someone’s life.”

Johnson donated via the peripheral blood stem cell donation (PBSC) method, the safest and easiest donor method that is similar to donating blood. His stem cells were then flown halfway around the world to Pretoria where Tsolo’s transplant took place.

“When we didn’t find a match in South Africa, my hopes were really crushed that I would not be able to have the stem cell transplant,” said Tsolo. “None of my family members were suitable matches, and given my ethnicity, the odds of finding a donor match dropped to around 1 in 400,000. I was elated once a match was eventually found, and just in time too!”

The Civil Engineering graduate was diagnosed just weeks into his first training job in mid-2018 and went on to have his transplant in August, 2019. After his transplant, Tsolo has completed his studies, earning an Honours Degree in Civil Engineering last month. He continues, “The journey has not been without challenges, but I am grateful for the second chance I was afforded through my donor and organisations like the SABMR and NMDP.”

SABMR Donor Welfare Officer Marzelle Bothma says witnessing the meeting was heartwarming and underscores the importance for people of colour to sign up as potential stem cell donors. “Without the transplant, chances are that Tsolo would not have survived and unfortunately this is the fate of many South Africans,” says Bothma. “It is imperative that we spread awareness and education around stem cell donation to debunk the myths and stigmas around donation. Tsolo has gone on to live a full life post-transplant and can make many more beautiful memories with his family.”

“We are honoured to be a small part of Tsolo and Pete’s story – they are a living example of what we work so hard to achieve together – to create the infrastructure that connects selfless donors to patients in need, giving a new chance at life,” said Amy Ronneberg, CEO, of NMDP. “Collaborating globally with the SABMR and other cooperative, international registries enables us to operate the research, programs, services and support that advance the cell therapy ecosystem and ensure that every patient can find a suitable donor.”

Tsolo who was overcome with emotion when he saw Johnson, says the experience was surreal. “When I saw him, I just couldn’t contain myself. I felt all of the emotions, but I am happy to have finally met him. I am able to live my life to the fullest because of him I have a second chance at life, I can’t thank him enough for his humility and selflessness.”

Johnson says he is honoured to have been able to do this for Tsolo. “I registered as a donor in 1996, the same year that he was born. I would never have thought that I would get that call but the decision was easy. His life now gives me more life and hope. We are connected forever, not only on a cellular level, he is my family now.”

*Pete is currently 62-years old

ENDS

Issued by Meropa Communications on behalf of the SABMR. For further information, please contact Unity Ruiters from Meropa Communications on 082 392 6006 or email: unityr@meropa.co.za

Notes to editor:

About the SABMR

The SABMR (NPO) was established in 1991, motivated by the concern that although bone marrow transplants were a life-saving treatment option, they were only available to patients with a matching donor in their family. Today, the SABMR searches both locally and internationally for donors, thereby making collaboration with international registries and observing universal standards of practice essential.

About NMDP

About NMDP^SM

At NMDP^SM, we believe each of us holds the key to curing blood cancers and disorders. As a global nonprofit leader in cell therapy, NMDP creates essential connections between researchers and supporters to inspire action and accelerate innovation to find life-saving cures. With the help of blood stem cell donors from the world’s most diverse registry and our extensive network of transplant partners, physicians and caregivers, we’re expanding access to treatment so that every patient can receive their life-saving cell therapy. NMDP. Find cures. Save lives. Learn more at nmdp.org.

Caption: Leukaemia survivor Ramabele Tsolo meets his life saving donor from Texas Pete Johnson for the very first time at the International Donor Registry Conference held in Cape Town.

Caption: Pete’s wife Kathy Johnson embraces Ramabele’s mother who was overcome with emotion when the family met her son’s life-saving stem cell donor.