Seven-Year-Old Cancer Survivor Surpasses Critical 100-Day Milestone After Life-Saving Stem Cell Transplant
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Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal – Just over 100 days ago, seven-year-old Avukile was in a life-threatening battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL). Today, he’s celebrating a critical milestone: surviving the first 100 days after a stem cell transplant — a period considered the most vulnerable for complications like infection and graft-versus-host disease.
His mother, Thobile, recalls the heartbreaking journey from fatigue and stomach pain in mid-2023 to an ALL diagnosis in early 2024. After enduring months of chemotherapy and a cancelled donor match, a new donor was found in February — and Avukile received his transplant soon after.
“The first 100 days post-transplant are the most high-risk,” explains Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement at DKMS Africa. “Surpassing this milestone means the body is accepting the transplant, and the patient is entering a more stable phase of recovery.”
Avukile’s story underscores the life-saving power of stem cell donation. Each year, over 1,400 children in South Africa are diagnosed with blood cancers, many needing transplants to survive. Yet, finding a match remains a significant challenge — especially for patients of Black, Coloured, and Asian descent, who are underrepresented in the donor registry due to the vast diversity of tissue types.
“Only 30% of patients find a related match,” says Mokomele. “The rest rely on the generosity of unrelated donors. Every person who registers gives hope.”
Thobile, filled with gratitude, shared a heartfelt message to the donor:
“May the Lord bless them. Their decision gave my son another chance at life.”
You can be someone’s match. You can save a life.
Register as a stem cell donor at: https://www.dkms-africa.org/save-lives
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