Kidney transplant milestone at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital performed its 300th kidney transplant recently, followed closely by two more, with all three young patients heading home this weekend with new hope.
This marks a milestone for the paediatric hospital, a leading centre of child health in the country, that first opened its doors in 1956. The hospital performed its first renal transplant in 1968.
Cee-Jay Zimmerie, the 300th transplant recipient, shared: “I feel so much relief. I was nervous before the operation. I was also shocked initially when I became sick without warning. I had to mentally prepare myself for surgery last week and I am very happy it went well.”
The 17-year-old’s mom, Alicia, has been by his side every step of the way. She remembers the day he was diagnosed with end-stage kidney disease. “He was only 14 and we were at Groote Schuur at the time when we were told he would need a transplant and started visiting Red Cross. We’re grateful for all of the support from the healthcare workers.”
Professor Mignon McCulloch, Head of the Clinical Unit of Paediatric Nephrology and Solid Organ Transplantation, expressed her joy following the transplants. “We are absolutely delighted to have celebrated our 300th, 301st and 302nd kidney transplants in the last week. We are enormously grateful to the families of the donors who have donated their family members organs. We are very grateful, as are our paediatric patients and their parents, for giving them a new lease of life and getting them off dialysis. All three of them were on dialysis for a long time.”
She added these transplants are only possible through teamwork. “We are also grateful for our wonderful teams at Red Cross and Groote Schuur, including surgeons, paediatricians, dieticians, social workers, nurses, intensivists, anesthetists, managers and the list goes on. It really does take a team for successful transplant in children.”
Organ donation can save lives and gives people, like Cee-Jay, a second chance in life, allowing them to enjoy their childhood with their family and friends.
Transplants are carried out by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals who offer comprehensive support to both patients and their families throughout the process.
The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness celebrates this milestone and encourages people to consider organ donation to give someone a second chance at life.
Get involved
Did you know that you can donate your tissues? Organ donation and tissue donation are both crucial components of medical treatments in adults and children, but they involve different types of donations and have different purposes.
It’s essential to talk to your family about your decision and ask them to respect your wish to donate your organs and tissues after death. Even if you haven’t signed up to be a donor, it is important to speak to your family about the option of donating your organs in the event of death. There are no costs involved, and your family will not be responsible for any medical expenses.
Solid organs include your heart, liver and pancreas and lungs, while tissue donations include your corneas, skin, bone, tendons and heart valves. An example of a tissue donation includes corneal transplants to restore vision or skin grafts for burns survivors. You can help at least 50 people through tissue donation.
Help us to make a difference and save lives.
If you want to become a bone marrow donor, simply visit the South African Bone Marrow Registry at www.sabmr.co.za and follow the easy registration steps.
For solid organ donation, the Organ Donation Foundation (ODF) of South Africa works to raise awareness and encourage people to consent to organ and tissue donation through education and outreach programmes.
Registering as an organ donor is simple. You can sign up online or call ODF’s toll-free line at 0800 22 66 11 or visit https://odf.org.za
After registering, you’ll receive a small donor card to carry with you, along with stickers for your ID and driver’s licence.
Find out more at https://odf.org.za/faqs