Run for Marrow to give someone a tomorrow!
Run for Marrow to give someone a tomorrow!
One of the guest celebrities and Sunflower Fund ambassador: Mr Eric Macheru
Puleng Maphisa
The Health Science Department, under the Faculty of Applied and Computer Science at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), hosted its Sunflower Fund event on 21 September at the Amphitheatre.
The theme for the event was Run for Marrow in order to raise awareness of the importance of stem cell donation as well as to raise funds to cover the recruitment costs of growing the Sunflower Fund’s Stem Cell Registry of Committed Donors.
The Amphitheatre was filled to capacity with staff and students who came out to be with the celebrity guests: Dr Musa Mthombeni, a former Yotv presenter; Eric Macheru, a former soccer player and actor; and actor Leeto Maputla from Skeem Saam as well as famous Hip Hop DJ Speedsta and rapper Riky Rick.
Mr Macheru, who is the Sunflower Fund ambassador, encouraged students and workers to join the fund in support of those who suffer from blood diseases.
For those who would like to join, please contact them on the following numbers: 0800 12 10 82 or (021) 701 0661 or go to www.sunflowerfund.org.za
The Sunflower Fund is a non-profit organisation that aims to fight blood diseases like leukaemia by recruiting stem cell donors.
Both events where privately sponsored by Mr. Zackea Shivambu (Lecturer: Biomedical technology) and Mr. Simphiwe Dyanti, a Lecturer from the Chemistry Department played a significant role in organising both events.
VUT now has a committee under the SRC made up of Biomedical Technology students “VUT for Marrow” which was hands on to make both events a success. The committee has a president, deputy, secretary and a treasurer amongst others (Stanely, Fatou, Danny, Joshua, Gerson and Atela). They aim to spread the awareness message amongst their fellow students through various activities on campus. They were the hands and feet of the events.
