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Siblings Mark Hendra and Tanya Bothma share their organ

and tissue donation journey

Julie Purkis
Public Relations Assistant
Centre for Tissue Engineering
Tshwane University of Technology
Tshwane

e first came into contact with Tanya Bothma, a grateful and at peace… At this time particularly, we salute and
petite blonde, while gathering information for give thanks for each and every donor family, for their courage
the tissue donor story on her brother, Centuri- in agreeing to honour and respect their loved one’s wishes,
on-based Mark Hendra (36). Mark a dynamic, especially in the midst of their grief and pain. You can be so very
vibrant young man tragically lost his life when proud of your loved one, and the legacy of love that they have
his powered paraglider spiralled out of control one Sunday after- left behind. The ultimate gift to another”.
noon early in July 2017 at Sunderland Ridge, Centurion. Mark, IT
businessman and flying enthusiast, was described by his brother- Tanya Bothma is the first person to receive a double lung
in-law Schalk Bothma as an adventurous soul with a big heart for transplant in Cape Town, and what makes this so unique and
his family, animals, children and the environment, and was some- special is that Groote Schuur is the first hospital within the
body who committed fully to any project or hobby. “He loved liv- state sector nationally to perform a bilateral sequential lung
ing his life and didn’t hold back on anything.” Although Mark was transplant. This type of procedure is available in Gauteng, at a
not married and had no children of his own, he was very family- private hospital to patients on medical aid.
orientated and never missed a family celebration or birthday.
Devastated, the family battled to come to terms with his death;
especially Tanya. The siblings had been close, not only in age, but
because Mark had always been on hand to offer comfort and re-
assurance to his sister, diagnosed at a very early age with chronic
lung disease and bronchiolitis obliterans. But, based on the fact
that that Mark was a registered organ donor already, the Hendra
family had absolutely no hesitation in agreeing to donate some of
his tissue for transplant purposes. Despite their over-
whelming grief and loss, it was a privilege for them to
consider helping someone else in need. Having
been privileged to tell Mark’s story, we re-
quested final comment from his mother, Sr Judy Above: The Hendra and Bothma families. Left: Tanya Bothma (organ
Hendra. Judy informed us that Tanya had since recipient) and Mark Hendra (tissue donor) 2017
been placed on the ‘active’ lung transplant list with
the Division of Pulmonology, Groote Schuur Hospi- Since her procedure, Tanya has faced a number of
tal subsequent to Mark’s accident. challenges – a heart flutter necessitating a stay in ICU,
medication, a fungal infection in the lungs requiring an-
We later learned that Tanya had received the call alerting her to other hospital stay, more medication to control the continuous
a lung donor who was a suitable match in early December. Tanya nausea that makes it difficult for her to eat and gain the necessary
was immediately admitted to theatre and following a seven- weight. But…Tanya has normal lung function for the first time in
hour procedure her family were relieved to hear that her ‘new’ her life and has increased her lung capacity from 400ml of air to
lungs were working, she was no longer on mechanical support 2L of air flow; she is doing exercises with her pulmonary rehab
and the medical team were busy closing her chest...! From that she could only dream about doing before! There are still
there Tanya was transferred to the intensive care unit where the challenges ahead but Tanya is especially and eternally grateful for
surgical team reassured her family that the procedure had gone the donor, and so painfully aware of the pain and grief experi-
as well as could be expected but that the following 12 hours enced by the family and friends of the donor since she has experi-
would be critical. Tanya remained in ICU where she was closely enced both sides of this incredible process called organ donation.
monitored. The family were advised to expect the following
three months to be eventful with many ups and downs. The “And finally, we trust in God and believe that His hand is in all
Hendra and Bothma family’s text message read (with kind of this, and one day we will understand why this amazing gift
permission Judy Hendra): to one and at the same the tremendous pain for another, goes
“It (the lung transplant procedure) is an incredible event in hand in hand. We urge you to consider becoming a donor, and
our lives and we will live by His Will and trust that from here it of leaving a legacy of your own. Thank you”.
goes as well as the operation itself. Thanks to everyone for your The Hendra & Bothma families.
prayers and words of strength and love. We are all very tired but

Vol 17 No 2 Issue 61 - August 2018 7