The desperate parents of five-year-old Preshthi Ishwarlal have sent out a heartfelt appeal to South Africans to register as stem cell donors in a bid to save lives, particularly highlighting the case of their daughter who is battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Preshthi was diagnosed with this aggressive form of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow and blood cells, back in 2021 when she was just two years old. After a period of remission lasting 18 months, her condition relapsed earlier this year, devastating her family and prompting her mother, Arthie Ishwarlal, to make a public plea for a stem cell donor.
Doctors have indicated that a stem cell transplant from a compatible donor is Preshthi's best hope for survival. However, the search for a match has been challenging. The Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdatei (DKMS) Africa, part of a global network of bone marrow donor centres, reported that no suitable match for Preshthi exists on the South African stem cell registry, which currently lists over 73 000 donors.
Palesa Mokomele, head of community engagement and communications at DKMS Africa, highlighted the rarity of finding a match, with each donor having only a 1 in 100 000 chance of matching with a patient in need.
“The challenge is even greater in Preshthi's case due to a lack of Indian donors in the registry, with the best chance for a match typically found within one's own ethnic group,” said Ms Mokomele.
The call to action targets South Africans aged 17 to 55 who are in good general health, encouraging them to register as potential donors. Registration is simple, free, and takes less than five minutes, but it could mean the difference between life and death for children like Preshthi and many others.
Ms Mokomele said leukemia and lymphomas rank among the top five cancers affecting South Africa's youth, with childhood cancer being a significant cause of disease-related death among children under 14. According to the Western Cape Health Department, around 800 to 1 000 South African children are diagnosed with cancer annually, but some cases go undiagnosed due to various challenges.
This initiative not only aims to find a match for Preshthi but also to broaden the diversity and availability of donors in the South African registry, potentially saving countless lives. For those willing to make a difference, more information and registration details can be found at DKMS Africa's official website: https://www.dkms-africa.org/register-now.