“I am still searching for a donor but I am hoping I will soon find a match. It would really be an awesome thing to find one,” says Owami Mbhele who is in need of a stem cell donor.
He was diagnosed with aplastic anaemia in 2021.
On Tuesday May 28, during a World Blood Cancer Day event at Ikamva, home of Cape Town Spurs Football Club, in Parow, Mr Mbhele joined the Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdatei (DKMS) Africa in encouraging South Africans to become regular blood cell and bone marrow donors.
The 26-year-old budding soccer player had to suspend his soccer career when he started to feel tired while playing, prompting him to get medical help. The diagnosis revealed that he needed a stem cell donor. DKMS Africa is leading the search for Mr Mbhele and other patients.
His symptoms started in 2020 when he felt he was not at his prime fitness level for his soccer game.
“I got my diagnosis in June 2021. It took a while before I told my family. My mother took it very hard. She could not stop crying. She was very emotional and that is when I knew I had to be strong for my family,” said Mr Mbhele.
Speaking to soccer players, coaches and administrators, he encouraged everyone to seek medical help when they need it.
“Coaches know that there is a lot of demand on players. They are pushed to the limit but at times they are tired not because they are lazy but simply because there is a shortage of stem cells. Many do not know about blood cancer. We need to know and be vigilant,” he said.
Mr Mbhele said he is hopeful that he will find a match. He said he appreciated the donors and DKMS for always being willing to help.
He has not given up on life and is still pursuing his academic career. “Life does not always go the way you plan it but that is no reason to give up. You have to dust yourself off and keep trying no matter what happens, and you have to appreciate every day.”
According to the DKMS, none of Mr Mbhele’s three sisters are a match so he now depends on the generosity of a stranger because there is currently no match on the global stem cell registry for him.
DKMS is an NPO dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and blood disorders.
Palesa Mokomele, DKMS head of community engagement, said the best gift people can give is to register as a donor.
She urged those who attended the event to register. “We now work with soccer ambassadors for better information. We urge them to register. We have a huge responsibility. We are appealing to soccer people to make donating blood stem cells a lifestyle choice,” she said
She also had an opportunity to thank the volunteers whose donations saved and enhanced the lives of people.
A donor, Amahle Nkomo, appealed to others to become donors. She said she became a donor by luck after seeing members of the DKMS awareness campaign. “I registered on the spot. But after that I was scared and told my mom. Fortunately she supported me. Few months after registering I was told there was a match for me. I again was scared but was told there is nothing to be scared of. I donated and I was told it was for a child. I am glad to have saved one life,” she said.
Cape Town Spurs spokesman Thabiso Mekuto said the team supports the good cause. He said from now on the team wants its players to know more about the blood cells and bone marrow donations.
“We are about youth. From now we support this good cause. We want to unpack the challenges with the DKMS. We want to protect our players,” he said.
The South African Football Association president Bennet Bailey has committed his organisation to be part of the awareness campaign. He said his organisation wants to create a better society so he will also talk to local football associations and all those involved in soccer about this cause.
To register to become a donor for Owami go to: dkms-africa.org/owamineedsadonor
DKMS Africa is contactable on 021 701 0661
