Buy tope for Sunflower Day in aid of stem cell donation
The Sunflower Fund’s annual Sunflower Day campaign will be commemorated on Friday 13 November this year.
The much loved and very practical tube of hope (tope), which has become synonymous with the campaign, will be on sale from Thursday 1 October. This multipurpose accessory is a key element of Sunflower Day, the biggest fundraising and awareness-raising initiative for the cause of blood stem-cell donation in South Africa.
Proceeds from the sales of the product enable the organisation to recruit blood stem-cell donors, offering the hope of a cure for patients diagnosed with life-threatening blood diseases such as leukaemia, sickle cell disease and aplastic anaemia, among others. It also contributes to the growth of the patient assistance fund, which helps patients with the cost of a transplant, support without which many patients would not survive even if their rare matching donor is found.
“It’s been incredibly special to see the immense interest from the public about when the product will finally hit the stores,” said Alana James, CEO of The Sunflower Fund.
“The campaign, now in its 17th year, has been the single biggest campaign to educate the public and make them aware of the urgent need for donors in South Africa and we could not achieve this without the support of our valued partners like Pick n Pay.”
By buying a tope, customers help create awareness for the fund and donate towards the critical work they do driving stem-cell donor numbers locally, added Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, transformation director at Pick n Pay.
By buying a tope, customers help create awareness for the fund and donate towards the critical work they do driving stem-cell donor numbers locally, added Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, transformation director at Pick n Pay.
Retailing for just R30 at Pick n Pay stores nationwide selected independent pharmacies and online at Zando, the design is inspired by people taking action to bring hope to patients in need of a stem cell transplant. It comes in six vibrant unisex colours – blue, green, yellow, pink, red and black – and great quality fabric. In addition, the fund urges supporters to consider planning a mini-event or fundraiser to commemorate Sunflower Day and help with much-needed fundraising efforts to grow the patient support fund.
People from 18 to 55 years with a consistent body weight of more than 50kg and a BMI of less than 40kg can register as donors.
This can be done online, at www.sunflowerfund.org.
V To co-host the Sunflower Day celebration, contact Traci Sassenberg on 021 701 0661 or traci@sunflowerfund.org.