A page created from a journey through navigation of 3 rare blood illnesses and using Rock Art to empower people with knowledge on donating blood and organs, haematology, and bone marrow/stem cell donations. Give me a trail to run any day, or excursions into nature. The South African bush is my happy place. Fresh air gives me freedom to laugh, cry, push my body, pray, get spiritual. This p
age just represents a story of a journey. Art created out of a life-threatening and rare blood disease. Aplastic Anaemia (AA) and Myelosdysplastic Syndrome (MDS) complicated further by a PNH Clone. Treatment includes medication but "cure" is through a Bone Marrow Transplant, also known as a Stem Cell Transplant. My hospital stays meant isolation from the world for weeks, welded up windows, one-way airflow, sanitary conditions and a neutropeanic diet - I needed to find a project. My nature though is to empower and educate on topics that are my passion. I have 2 passions - teaching people the language of money and teaching people about how to make life saving donations of blood, body organs and bone marrow/stem cells. I do this to eliminate the fear, myths and misconceptions - especially pain or religious stumbling blocks. God gave each one of us life and each one of us the ability to give life, though Him. So, where do STONES & PEBBLES come in? While I was in isolation (transplant was 16th September 2021) I was painting rocks and pebbles all with a message about DONATIONS of Blood and Bone Marrow and Body Organs. PLEASE ASK your questions on any matter regarding DONATIONS - let me empower you. These are valuable organisations to make contact with. Their websites are comprehensive so please research your desired topic with them. HOW TO DONATE BLOOD: https://sanbs.org.za/
HOW TO REGISTER AS A BONE MARROW DONOR:
South African Bone Marrow Registry https://sabmr.co.za/
DKMS Africa https://www.dkms-africa.org/get-involved/become-a-donor
Be the Match (international) https://bethematch.org/
HOW TO DONATE YOUR BODY:
https://www.odf.org.za/ register here and let your family know. DONATIONS FOR OTHER REASONS:
Write this in your Will that you wish to donate your organs. State to whom you would like your body to be donated for for medical research, forensic teaching - there are many universities that have links to this option. The point of this page is to share knowledge and empower though art. Please share your artistic pebbles and rocks that you painted, you found, you left behind, but most of all let us know what is the one thing your learnt about donations and being a donor in this process.
