Page 17 - News_Combine_v3

8/7/2018 Scarcity in skin donors can cost lives
Vermeulen added that the campaign, which resides in the principles of Ubuntu, has a strong focus on bridging cultural
 S E A R C H A P P L Y N O W M E N U
barriers to donation. “80% of people we surveyed, were not sure about organ donation as it contradict their culture and
customs. We have met people who use culture as their excuse not to donate. The fact is that skin donation saves lives
and improves quality of life. It is time that we all become activists for burn victims, especially children,” he said.

Ndhlovu appealed to the journalists and media houses at the brie ng to spread the word in order to help those in need
of skin tissue. “Skin donation saves lives. Compared to the traditional treatment of burn wounds with bandages, a skin
graft is much more e ective and can shorten the patient’s stay in hospital dramatically. The best part about skin is that
the donor body never rejects it. Anyone can donate skin, the only prerequisite is that the skin must be retrieved within 12
hours of death.”

Responding to a question, she said the need for skin usually increases in winter because of the increased possibility of
veld and shack res.

She added that although it is not common for living people to donate their skin, the procedure could be done in cases of
extreme emergency. “Organ and tissue donation is not a di cult topic to discuss, but it is more di cult to convince
people to make the decision,” Ndhlovu concluded.

Adding fun to the event was Pretoria’s own Spiderman, better known as Spinnekop (the Afrikaans term) Eric Kevin Nefdt:
Estate Agent, Family Man, aspiring Adventurer and Proud Organ Donor.

During August 2018, Spinnekop, who is endorsed by the ODF, will attempt to run from Pretoria to Lüderitz, in southern
Namibia, accompanied at various stages along the route by the Friends of Spinnekop. The Incredible Marathon-A-Day
Superhero will complete 1500km to Create Awareness for Organ Donation.

Apart from organs and skin, one can also donate corneas, bone and heart valves. To register as organ and tissue donors
go to www.odf.org.za (https://www.odf.org.za/)or www.tissuedonation.org.za (http://www.tissuedonation.org.za/) or call
the toll free number at: 0800 22 66 11.

For more information on the Tshwane University of Technology, please contact Willa de Ruyter, Corporate A airs
and Marketing.
Tel: +27 12 382 5352 Email: deruyterw@tut.ac.za (mailto:deruyterw@tut.ac.za)

 (https://twitter.com/o cial_tut)  (https://www.facebook.com/TUTCommunications) 
(mailto:deruyterw@tut.ac.za)

Filed under: Academic (news&Cat=Academic#nid-147) TUT (news&Cat=TUT#nid-147)

VIEW MORE NEWS ARTICLES (NEWS#NID-147)

https://www.tut.ac.za/news-and-press/article?NID=147 2/5