Dr Andrew Ross is a family physician who, after years of helping others, now needs help. He has been diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a life-threatening condition that requires him to have stem cell transplantation.
“Myelodysplastic syndrome essentially means that my bone marrow is failing and is not producing enough blood cells. So, for example, my haemoglobin has fallen from 13,5 in April, to 11,3 on September 9. Similarly, my platelets have fallen from 129 to 92 and my white cells have fallen from 3.6 to 2.5.”
Dr Ross found out about his illness while donating blood, when a routine finger prick revealed his haemoglobin levels were low. After a bone marrow biopsy, they confirmed he had high-risk MDS and that without treatment, will not survive.
Before being diagnosed, the doctor, who lectures at the Department of Family Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), knew nothing about MDS, but got into stem cell research after his diagnosis in June and realised there was a shortage of stem cell donors in South Africa.
“There is a big need for stem cell donors and becoming a donor is easy. Just sign up and do a cheek swab. Stem cells are multipotential cells that can produce red cells, white cells and platelets.
“Stem cells are harvested from a donor in a process similar to giving blood. The stem cells are then given to a patient via a transfusion. The donor stem cells establish themselves in the marrow of the patient and start to produce red cells, white cells and platelets.”
He said that without a stem cell transplant, patients that need a transplant will die.
“Without a stem cell transplant my white cell count, red cell count and platelet count will continue to fall. At some point I will not be able to fight common infections, and I will get an overwhelming infection and I will die. The overall survival of high-risk myelodysplasia without treatment is 6 to 15 months.”
The father of two said his details have been submitted to DKMS [an international nonprofit bone marrow donor centre, based in Tübingen, Germany] and they would search the worldwide database for possible matches.
“Although my details were collected at the end of June, I have not yet heard if a suitable match has been identified. The chance of finding a match is 1:100 000. For most patients in South Africa, the chance of finding a match is less than 30%, which is why we are doing this big recruitment drive.”
His three sisters have all been tested to see if they are a match; however, each sister has a 25% chance of a match. Collectively they have a 67% chance of a match.
Having met no results, Dr Ross has started a recruitment drive to help find stem cell matches.
“It is a struggle to live with the uncertainty of knowing that I need a match but have not yet found one. The drive to help recruit more donors helps give meaning and purpose. In some sense I feel like I am living in limbo, unable to make any decisions or plans for the future.
“I have been encouraging everyone I know to sign up to be a donor. I have also asked UKZN and members of the SAAFP (SA Academy of Family Physicians) to run campaigns at their various campuses to recruit potential donors.”
He urges the public to help by becoming a stem cell donor.
“The need for donors is enormous. We need to encourage everyone to sign up. It is easy and you can potentially save someone's life with just one match,” said Ross.
