Make a difference this Mandela Day: Register as a stem cell donor and host donor drives
DKMS Africa is urging the public to use their 67 minutes this Mandela Day to register as stem cell donors.
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As South Africans prepare to mark Mandela Day on July 18, DKMS Africa is calling on citizens to use their 67 minutes to help fight one of the country’s most pressing but overlooked health inequalities, which is access to stem cell transplants for blood cancer patients.
“Before your 67 minutes are up, at least one South African will have heard the words: ‘You have blood cancer.’ But this Mandela Day, you can turn those same 67 minutes into their chance to survive,” says Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communications at DKMS Africa.
In line with the 2025 Mandela Day theme, “It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity,” Mokomele says blood cancer patients, particularly those from historically marginalised communities, face disproportionate challenges in finding life-saving donors.
“With over 19,000 South Africans living with blood cancer, every 10 new stem cell donor registrations significantly improve their chances of finding a life-saving match,” she explains. “We’ve made progress, with more than 125,000 donors currently registered, but the registry still lacks diversity. Patients of Asian, Coloured, and Black heritage still face reduced chances of finding a match due to underrepresentation in the donor pool.”
Even when matches are found, Mokomele notes that the process can still be inadequate: “Even when a match is found, patient outcomes can be compromised if donors fail to follow through with the donation process when called upon.”
The financial burden is also a major barrier. “Nearly 80% of South Africans rely on the public healthcare system, where access to blood cancer treatment remains severely limited,” she says. “While the state covers transplant costs, families are often left to fund essential steps such as tissue typing and donor searches, costs many simply cannot afford.”
To mark Mandela Day, DKMS Africa is encouraging South Africans to take two simple steps in their 67 minutes. The first is to register as a stem cell donor by visiting www.dkms-africa.org and completing a short questionnaire. Eligible donors aged 17 to 55 will receive a free home swab kit.
The second is to multiply their impact by hosting donor drives, raising awareness, or donating to help cover registration and donor search costs.
“Madiba reminded us that ‘what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others,’” Mokomele says. “Every donor, every Rand, every shared post counts.”