Africa-Press – South-Africa. Twelve-year-old Inamandla Nkwanyana’s life was turned upside down this year after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a lethal blood cancer.
The Grade 6 pupil from KwaNongoma in KwaZulu-Natal now needs a blood stem cell donor as she currently does not have a match on the national donor registry.
Inamandla’s mother, Londiwe Nkwanyana, first realised her daughter was ill in January when she noticed her gums were bleeding heavily. She took her to a doctor who referred her to the hospital for tests and a blood transfusion.
Less than a week later, she was told her only child was gravely ill.
“The doctors said they have a treatment plan called chemotherapy and asked if I consented to her undergoing the treatment and I agreed,” Londiwe told News24.
After several months of treatment, she was told her daughter needed a blood stem cell donor.
“They tried to find someone through some of the foundations they work with, but they didn’t find a match.”
Londiwe was also tested but was not a match either.
She was then introduced to DKMS Africa an NPO dedicated to recruiting donors.
“We start by putting out a patient appeal on social media and organise donor drives in the patient’s community, corporates, universities, etc, spreading awareness and engaging the public to become stem cell donors because anyone could be that match a patient is waiting for,” said Nabiella de Beer, the communications manager at DKMS Africa.
Only hope
De Beer said there was only a 1 in 100 000 chance of a patient finding a match, and “currently only 0.04% of South Africans are registered as donors, making the need for donors crucial”.
According to the NPO, black, coloured, Indian, and Asian blood cancer patients only have a 19% chance of finding a matching donor because of ethnic under-representation on the global donor registry.
Stem cell transplants were currently the only way to treat blood cancer, De Beer said.
“Stem cells can become specialised cells in the body and can self-renew. This means that they can replenish themselves over long periods of time by dividing.
“These evolve into white blood cells which fight infection, platelets which help stop bleeding, and red blood cells which transport oxygen around the body.
“In cases such as Inamandla’s, stem cell transplants are often the only hope for blood cancer patients to restore healthy blood stem cells and bolster their immune system.”
Leukaemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow.
Inamandla’s illness had taken a significant toll on her physical and mental health, her mother said.
She was discharged from the hospital in early September, and during her course of chemotherapy had severe infections, including vomiting blood.
“Her skin turned a darker colour, she lost hair, and she lost her appetite,” said Londiwe who has been equally traumatised by the ordeal.
The single mother has been raising her daughter alone since 2019 when Inamandla’s father died in a car accident.
“At the moment it’s a challenge for her when she tries to play with other kids, they tease her. She said the kids ask her if she puts polish on her head and other things, even when she explains that she’s sick.”
Inamandla, who was an A-team netball player, and a promising pupil, has been unable to attend school this year.
How you can help
Stem cell donation does not require any surgery or invasive procedures from the donor.
“The initial testing is performed on a cheek swab, and the donation is very similar to a blood donation. Although it takes longer than regular blood donation, it is still most commonly performed as an outpatient procedure and the donor can return home on the day of donation,” said De Beer.
Donor registration can be done on the DKMS Africa website.
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