Sunflower Month 2024
Sunflower Month
Every 27 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with blood cancer or a blood disorder, with their only chance at survival being a stem cell transplant. While 25% of patients can find a match within their family, 75% rely on the generosity of strangers to give them a second chance at life. You could be that stranger! In order to continuously bring fourth, the plight of patients with blood cancers and blood disorders, every year during the month of September DKMS Africa commemorates Sunflower Day which has been a symbol of hope for patients for over 30 years.
Why We Celebrate Sunflower Day
The formation of The Sunflower Fund in 1999, was inspired by the heroic struggle against leukemia of two brave young men, Darren Serebro and Chris Corlett. While he was in treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), Chris Corlett painted a picture, which he titled ‘Sunflowers of Hope’. This was the main inspiration for the name of The Sunflower Fund. It was Chris and Darren’s wish that the Bone Marrow Registry develop and grow, so that future leukemia patients may have the opportunity to live a healthy life. Throughout the years Sunflower Day has stood out as a key health and awareness day in the South African health calendar and now includes community engagement, education and awareness-raising while also receiving financial support from members of the public, schools, corporates and other stakeholders.
Since amalgamating with DKMS Africa in 2021, Over 98 000 potential lifesavers have been recruited fulfilling the dream of having a diverse donor registry and making the two young men’s wish become a daily reality.
What You Can Do:
- Donate Financially: Your donations help us cover the costs of registering new donors. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us move closer to a world where no patient has to wait for a lifesaving match.
- Register as a Stem Cell Donor: By registering, you join a global community of potential lifesavers. You could be the match that gives someone a second chance at life.
- Spread the Word: Educate others about the importance of stem cell donation and encourage them to get involved. The more people who know about the cause, the more lives we can potentially save.