The Sunflower Fund, which recruits stem-cell donors, treated friends and family affected by leukaemia and other blood diseases with a brunch at the Century City Hotel and Conference Centre last Friday.Â
Survivor and ambassador for the Sunflower Fund Jean Smyth, CEO of the Sunflower Fund Alana James and Sunflower Fund ambassador Deon Ding.
Rachel Mohamed from Philippi East and Ayesha Laatoe from Sybrand Park.
Zaida Palm from Athlone has a child with aplastic anaemia and Kim Fourie from Somerset West has a son who had a transplant.
Chairman of the Sunflower Fund board James Sedgwick from Constantia and Traci Sassenberg from the marketing and communications department of the Sunflower Fund.
Nizaar Gamieldien, 45, from Vangaard Estate, was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in 2015. He is in remission and under treatment for the next two years. He stressed the importance of becoming a stem cell donor to save lives.
Vivian de Klerk, from Fish Hoek, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, in 2008. She received a bone-marrow transplant in 2011.
Sarah Norman, 54, from Somerset West was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2004 and had a bone-marrow transplant six months later. She has gone on to do some voluntary work for the Sunflower Fund.
Mariska Venter, 30, from Table View, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2015 and had a bone-marrow transplant the following year. She decided to volunteer with the Sunflower Fund after her transplant. She is pictured with her husband, Mainie.
