WATCH: This is how easy it is to become a stem cell donor

Sara-Jayne Makwala King spoke to Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communication at DKMS.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

Did you know that only 30% of patients find a matching stem cell donor within their own family? This means that 70% of patients must rely on complete strangers. 

"It's a magical process where two people from different parts of the world are depending on each other... and it's your genetic twin."

- Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communication at DKMS

"One person can help one person, but people can have several matches." 

- Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communication at DKMS

DKMS, an international non-profit organisation dedicated to the fight against blood cancer, helps patients find matching stem cell donors. 

Blood stem cell transplants are used to treat blood cancers such as leukaemia, multiple myeloma, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"Every hour, someone in South Africa is diagnosed with blood cancer or a blood disorder."

- Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communication at DKMS

There are over 70 different kinds of blood disorders, with leukaemia being the most common blood cancer.

Despite having a registry of 12 million people globally, Mokomele notes that there is a very low representation of black, mixed-ethnicity, and Asian individuals on this registry. 

"We're working to build a registry that is more representative."

- Palesa Mokomele, Head of Community Engagement and Communication at DKMS

The process of becoming a stem cell donor is simple and free of charge. 

Watch Sara-Jayne Makwala King become a registered donor live on air: 

To register, follow these steps

• Visit the DKMS website
• Answer a few questions to check your eligibility
• If you are eligible, a swab kit will be sent to you via courier 

For more information, visit www.dkms-africa.org or contact 0800 1210 82.

Remember, by becoming a stem cell donor, you could become a potential lifesaver.

Scroll up to listen to the full conversation.