A mom's plea: 'you can save my son'

With less than 200 000 South Africans registered as stem cell donors – and even fewer from Black communities – the odds are stacked against Black children.

Bonakele never imagined that motherhood would mean becoming a full-time caregiver, medical advocate and voice for survival. But for the past two years, she’s been fighting relentlessly for her two-year-old son, who has a rare genetic disease and whose life now depends on finding a matching stem cell donor.

“I knew something wasn’t right from when he was just three months old,” she recalls. “He had recurring boils, infections, and was always in and out of the clinic. But nothing prepared me for the diagnosis.”

Her son was eventually diagnosed with Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome (WAS), a life-threatening condition that weakens the immune system and impairs blood clotting. Without treatment, most children don’t survive into adulthood.

“I’ve already lost a child,” Bonakele says. “I wake up every day with that memory in my heart and the fear that I could lose another. People ask how my son is doing, but they forget to ask how I’m doing. The truth is, I’m exhausted, I’m scared… but I have to stay strong for him.”

A stem cell transplant is her son’s best and only chance. When performed early – ideally before the age of five – it can offer a survival rate of over 90%. But the biggest challenge is finding a matching donor.

“This is why we’re sharing Bonakele’s story,” says Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communications at DKMS Africa, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting blood cancers and blood disorders. “A simple cheek swab could identify the match her son – and so many others.”

“I’m asking with everything in me,” says Bonakele. “If you’re healthy and between 17 and 55, please register. You could be the reason my son grows up, runs around with his friends, and has the chance to just be a child. This isn’t just about him – it’s about every parent waiting for that one person to say yes.”

DKMS is an international non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer. It was founded in Germany in 1991 by Dr Peter Harf. DKMS with over 1 200 employees has since relentlessly pursued the aim of giving as many patients as possible a second chance at life. It has  over 12 million registered donors.

Visit www.dkms-africa.org/save-lives to register. A few minutes could save a life.