During a radio interview on the Rude Awakening on Friday morning, Gauteng PR Manager Tricia Hobson mentioned to Jeremy Mansfield (Patron to The Sunflower Fund) that well known comedian Michael Naicker had promised to cycle the 94.7 cycle challenge in a sunflower tutu should he be able to raise R10,000 in one week. This clearly amused Jeremy as he immediately pledged the R10,000 in full in his personal capacity to the Fund to ensure that the tutu would be worn!! That is truly a Patron putting his money where his mouth is!! There was therefore no backing out and Kevin (Michael Naicker) was compelled to cycle in the tutu and it even suited his cycling colours. Kevin and his wife Pascalle joined a team of cyclists from MTN Club 100 and Sue Stone (mom to Jason) who cycled to raise funds.
Recycle your Sunflower Bandanas
Gladys Mzimela from the Hillcrest Aids Centre creates a bandana shopping bag while Tenley Cummings from The Sunflower Fund and Karen Brokensha from the Food Market look on.
Buy a designer shopping bag at The Food Market at the Hellenic Hall in Durban North and contribute to two very worthy causes. The Sunflower Fund has given the Hillcrest Aids Centre the sunflower bandanas collected through their 2009 ‘Rope of Hope’ Campaign to make into funky but useful shopping bags. The bags will be on sale for R25 from The Food Market information stand between 8.00am to 3.00pm on the last Saturday of every month and all proceeds will be split between The Sunflower Fund and the Hillcrest Aids Centre. The public are also encouraged to drop off their sunflower bandanas at the information stand to be recycled into shopping bags in turn benefitting the two charities. The next Food Market will take place on Saturday, 28th November.
Pretoria News accepted the challenge!
Staff members donned headgear after the Pretoria News bought 100 bandanas for The Sunflower Fund. The charity raises funds on National Bandana Day to encourage people to donate bone marrow for the treatment of leukaemia sufferers. They urgently need to sell their remaining stock before this year’s campaign ends on Saturday. They have appealed to corporates and private individuals to help. A box of 100 costs only R2 000. The bandanas can be ordered and donated back to the Sunflower Fund to use to make quilts and duvets for hospital beds and cots. To find out which Pick n Pay stores still have stock, or to order directly from them, contact their toll free call centre on 0800 12 10 82. You can also call this number also to find out how to become a donor. The Pretoria News bought 100 bandanas and staff were happy to wear them for the day before returning them to be used in the making of duvets.
Investec Capital Markets joined the registry
Investec Capital Markets in Johannesburg became acutely aware of the critical need for bone marrow stem cell donors when one of their colleagues was diagnosed with leukaemia and it was found that he needed a bone marrow stem cell transplant. Although the colleague had fortunately found a match the staff were motivated to register as donors for the many other patients who are searching for their life saving match. Tricia Hobson did a talk to a group of about 100 staff and of that group 76 people came forwarded to register. Investec also very generously sponsored these 76 donor test costs to be placed on The South African Bone Marrow Registry. The tests were done at a regular SANBS blood drive and staff were seen sporting their bandanas whilst they donated blood and their samples for the Registry.
Southdowns College give back!
PR Manager Tricia Hobson was invited to talk to the high school students of Southdowns College recently. The students of the outreach committee had a sprayathon at the school as a fundraising initiative. They then looked at The Sunflower Fund website and found the wish list of the Gauteng region. They saw that the branch was in need of a small collapsible table to be used at donor drives and they set about buying this table.
At assembly after the talk the learners of the committee handed over the donated table to Tricia and Lizelle. Our thanks to the students for being so proactive and for fulfilling one of the wish list needs.
AfriSam have got the spirit!
AfriSam in Gauteng got into true Bandana spirit and not only bought bandanas in support of National Bandana Day the staff took it upon themselves to do some additional fundraising. They raised R7500 which the company agreed to match and a generous donation of R15.000 was made to the Fund. These funds will be used to tissue type donors who are unable to afford their test cost to be placed on The South African Bone Marrow Registry.
The Sunflower Fund reaches out to the Sisulu Centre
L to R, Volunteer Sithembile Mvelase with Tricia Hobson and Lizelle Goncalves of The Sunflower Fund in Gauteng. Tricia addressed 60 ladies at the Walter Sisulu Centre in Soweto as part of National Women's day celebration on the importance of becoming a bone marrow stem cell donor. She highlighted how easy it is for them to make a difference in the lives of young leukaemia sufferers. Even if the test cost was not affordable for them they could be placed on the waiting list at the national call centre should they meet the criteria to become a donor. Sunflower volunteer Sithembile is very involved in counselling at this centre and arranged for the invitation to speak to ladies from the community.
14 October is The Sunflower Fund National Bandana Day
Chris Corlett, late son of Sunflower Fund, CEO, Tina Botha, would have celebrated his 27th birthday on Monday 12th October (Sadly Chris died when he was just 17, a month before his 18th)
Chris died because we did not have enough donors representative of all ethnic groups on the SA Registry. There were under a 1000 at that time. It has now increased to 64 551 donors but we still have a problem. We need enough donors representative of all our different ethnic groups because a matching donor is like finding your identical twin. A twin would be your perfect match. There is a 1 in 4 chance of finding a sibling match. BUT for 75% of patients, they have to search for a MATCHED UNRELATED DONOR on the SA Bone Marrow Registry. Of the 64 551 donors who have joined, only about 17% are black, coloured and asian donors. We have to increase this to enable all patients to find their “twin” match.
It costs The Sunflower Fund R1000 to test each donor and we need to raise funds to do this. We need donors and we need funds to test donors – that is basically it !
MY WISH TO ALL SOUTH AFRICANS IS PLEASE ALL BUY ONE OF OUR SUNFLOWER BANDANAS FROM YOUR NEAREST PICK N PAY TODAY AND WEAR IT – NATIONAL BANDANDA DAY IS WEDNESDAY 14 OCTOBER. PLEASE ALSO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER BECOMING A BONE MARROW STEM CELL DONOR AND CALLING OUR CALL CENTRE ON 0800 12 10 82 TO REGISTER(if you can pay for your test or contribute towards it, that is fantastic – if not, we put you on our waiting list and will sponsor donors every month, as funds allow)
Wayne Jelliman, Doug Watson, Laura Fish and Johan Roux will be cycling 65 miles4marrow in an attempt to raise much needed funds for The Sunflower Fund to assist them build the South African Bone Marrow Registry.
The Amashova was established 23 years ago, making it the oldest classic cycle race in the country. The 106km/ 65mile route from Pietermaritzburg to Durban is breath-taking with the hills promising to separate the 'men' from the 'boys'.
These four cyclists are taking on the challenge on Sunday, 18th October to raise funds for The Sunflower Fund. Support them by sponsoring them per mile and 'share a little to save a life'.
The Sunflower Fund's bank details are: Bank Account Name: The Sunflower Fund Bank: ABSA Bank Account No.: 4051834719 Branch: Tokai Branch Code: 632005 Reference: Cyclist's name + KZN
For more information on the challenge phone Tenley Cummings on 083 654 5229.
Superbikes at Cedar Square
The superbikes that will be on display at Cedar Square Saturday 10th October from 10am and will be available for all children, who come sporting a bandana, to have their photographs taken on these fabulous bikes – see you there!
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