6-year-old Fanele needs donor to cure rare blood cancer but only 10% of donors are black

Young Fanele Memela is in a race for survival against a rare blood cancer which has intensified after none of her family is a suitable stem cell donor. The South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) is pleading for donors to come forward as they could save Fanele and others in similar dire straits.

FANELE WANTS A SECOND CHANCE AT LIFE

Six-year-old Fanele from Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in March this year. She is in desperate need of a stem cell transplant that could save her life.

Unfortunately, none of Fanele’s family members are viable bone marrow stem cell donor matches so the SABMR has launched a nationwide search to find a suitable donor.

The organisation is ramping up their donor recruitment efforts in the hopes to give twinkle-eyed Fanele a second chance.

The youngster is currently undergoing chemotherapy until a matching donor is found.

Fanele’s mother, Gugu Mkhulisi, says as a parent all she wants to do is to help and protect her child but she is in an unenviable situation where there is little she can do.

“I have to rely on the generosity and goodwill of others. It broke my heart when the doctors shared the news that none of us offered a good enough match for Fanele. While this journey has been tough, it has opened my eyes to so much that I didn’t know about. I have learned about the dire shortage of black donors on the registry, which makes it so difficult for children like Fanele, to get the help they need,”

says Mkhulisi.

Mkhulisi thinks Fanele is a superhero and hopes she gets the second chance she wishes for.

“Her future aspirations change as often as the weather. She no longer wants to be a doctor like me, but rather a singer. Fanele loves her little six-month-old brother and I would love for them to grow up together.”

says Fanele’s mother Gugu.

SHORTAGE OF BLACK DONORS

According to the SABMR, black donors only make up a meagre 10% of all registered donors which means there is a slim chance of finding a match for Fanele and other children in similar situations.

It is understood that the best chance for a patient of finding a match is within their own ethnic group. The lack of donors of colour is not unique to South Africa as globally there is a 27% chance of people of colour finding a match, compared to that of Europeans who have a 70% chance of finding a comparable tissue match.

Kapil Premchand, SABMR Sustainability and Donor Recruitment Coordinator for KZN says approximately 200 cases are referred to the SABMR annually.

Premchand explained that the goal is to eventually be able to assist every patient and that is why they launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy.

“Our mission is to save as many lives as possible. Often, we find ourselves in a position where there is no suitable match, as is in Fanele’s case, but this doesn’t deter our efforts. With this campaign we aim to raise R500 000 which will help to get as many black donors as possible between the ages of 16 and 45 to sign up to the registry.”

says Premchand.

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