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31 Mail & Guardian August 19 to 25 2016
TUT Center for Tissue Engineering
News

A gift that

will leave a

lasting legacy

An expert in organ and tissue donation
explains the power of transplants

Willa de Ruyter sue donation, tissue transplants play
a vital role in improving the quality
o leave a lasting legacy of life for ordinary South Africans.
is probably one of the This includes healing opportunities Cleo Ndhlovu, manager of the Tshwane University of Technology’s Centre for Tissue Engineering, with some of
most deep-seated human for patients who suffer from skel- the centre’s staff (above). Photo: Amanda van Rensburg
‘Tdesires. Hence, giving etal conditions, repairing the sight
part of oneself through organ and of people who may otherwise suf-
tissue donation is a gift that never fer permanent blindness, saving the Tear of Hope
ceases to yield rewards. Unlike a lives of burn victims and providing “Taking hands with the glass
gift voucher that eventually gets treatment options for people with experts at TUT’s faculty of the arts,
used up, this is a gift that becomes congenital heart defects. the Tear of Hope, which has pretty
part of another person’s life.” This “Donors come from all walks of much become our signature, was
is the opinion of Cleo Ndhlovu, life, but unfortunately only a small created as a reminder to donor
manager of the Tshwane University segment of the South African popu- families of their wonderful gifts
of Technology’s Centre for Tissue lation are currently registered as to mankind. Every donor family
Engineering (CTE) in Pretoria. donors. This may be due to cultural receives an exquisite, hand-crafted,
With a focus on August as Organ and religious factors, but I strongly solid glass teardrop to say thank
Donor Month, the Mail & Guardian suspect it is more due to a lack of you, and to demonstrate the hope
talked to Ndhlovu about the impor- information. In addition to the CTE’s and new life that was made possi-
tance of organ and tissue donation, own efforts to educate the public ble through their sacrifice of tears.”
as well as the amazing work done on the responsibility of becoming
at the CTE, which celebrates its donors, we have always worked
14th anniversary this year. Her love closely with the Organ Donor
for this challenging sector of the Foundation (ODF), to reach people
health industry is clear when she of all communities and to provide
talks about the life-changing differ- them with information to under-
ence the transplant of tissue — such stand the benefits of donation.”
as a cornea, a bone allograft or the She explains that a formal partner-
treatment of serious burn wounds ship agreement signed between the
through the use of cadaveric skin — cadaveric tissue banks of CTE, Bone
can make. SA and ODF in July 2016 will go a
long way towards increasing market-
What is the Centre for Tissue ing opportunities and resources to
Engineering? escalate the general awareness about
The CTE was established in all forms of donation. To register as an organ and tissue
September 2002, following an agree- “We are excited about the agree- donor please visit www.odf.org.za or
ment between TUT and Bone SA’s ment, which will allow for more www.tissuedonation.org.za or call the
Professor Mariëtte Lowes, dean of integrated and centralised market- toll-free number at: 0800 22 66 11
the faculty of science at the time, and ing and advertising campaigns to
Mrs Martina Lutz of Bone SA, who create awareness of the vital ser-
signed the deal to form the second vices all these organisations offer.
human bone bank in South Africa. In addition, the logistics of liaising “The major challenge we face is tle is already half won. to patients in state hospitals.”
The CTE was established to make with donor families, referring poten- inadequate financial resources for “Another very useful practice in my The best solution to this problem
more bone tissue available in the tial donors, as well as registering marketing the importance of organ own life is to find mentors for differ- is cadaveric human skin. Only a few
country for transplants, but t soon to become a donor, will be central- and tissue donation to the general ent areas of my life. To have someone strips from the very top layer of skin
developed into a mature, multi-tis- ised in one database in future. This public. Only about 200 000 people, to talk to and to use as a soundboard can be procured from organ and tis-
sue bank with a strong professional means that whether people register from the total South African popu- is invaluable for providing guidance, sue donors, which can then be used
reputation, both locally and interna- on www.tissuedonation.org.za or on lation of about 54 million, are cur- both professionally and in your per- very effectively on burn victims.
tionally. Located at the CSIR in the www.odf.org.za, all these registra- rently registered as organ and tis- sonal life,” says Ndhlovu. Although there are a number of
East of Pretoria, the CTE operates tions will go to a central database.” sue donors. We have a massive task transplant centres, as well as eye and
in all provinces throughout South ahead of us in educating people What are some of the CTE’s tissue banks around South Africa,
Africa to procure human tissue from How do you ensure adherence about the topic. milestones? there has never been a successful
cadaveric donors. It provides tissue to ethical standards, and what “At a national level, there is legisla- “Over the past five years, the CTE long-term skin-banking program.
allografts to private and state hospi- are some of the challenges the tion that guides our work, but there has been inundated with pleas from The treatment of burns with
tals, clinics and surgeons. CTE has to deal with? is no official policy on organ dona- surgeons and burn units around the cadaveric skin has a number of
According to Ndhlovu, it was ini- “Because of the nature of our busi- tion, nor is there a national system country to assist with the banking advantages for the recipient. The
tially quite challenging to establish ness, we have to be very aware of our that facilitates the donation process. of skin for the treatment of burn vic- treatment process is far less trau-
the CTE as a role player in the indus- conduct at all times, says Ndhlovu. The result is that when a registered tims. The majority of patients who matic and painful than treatment
try. However, by 2005, and under “Confidentiality is of the utmost donor passes away, we are often not require skin are state patients, who with synthetic dressings, less scar-
the directorship of Professor Danie importance. We often deal with aware of the fact, which can result in are more often than not the victims ring occurs and the cost saving is
du Toit and Dr Nicolaas Duneas, the sensitive information and it is vital the tissue being lost. of shack fires that frequently result massive.
CTE gained substantial support and that we follow the correct protocols “The partnership agreement in life threatening burns. Although “One of the biggest challenges in
donor numbers have since increased when families and potential donors between CTE and the ODF, which there are no financial advantages to providing skin in adequate quanti-
steadily. share such information with us. We I alluded to earlier, is aimed at be gained through skin procurement ties is the shortage of organ and tis-
“Although the CTE’s primary focus always act within the law — we treat addressing and alleviating these and distribution, the CTE and Bone sue donors. Every person in South
is on the retrieval, processing and the body of every donor with utmost issues.” SA felt morally obliged to make a Africa can make a difference, and we
storage of bone, cartilage, tendons, respect — as if it were a member of financial commitment and take on appeal to the public to make a deci-
corneas, skin and cardiovascular our own family. In addition to being organ the challenge to help these ordinary sion in favour of donation after their
tissue for implant, transplant and “We are sensitive to the rules of donor month, August is South Africans,” says Ndhlovu. death,” says Ndhlovu.
therapeutic purposes, human tis- other organisations or companies Women’s Month. What is your “The launch of the first skin bank- Early in 2015 cardiovascular tissue
sue research and development func- who assist us in the cause of organ message to the young women ing programme in South Africa procurement was added to the CTE
tions are also provided for internal and tissue donation. We value the of this country? in April 2016 was probably one of profile, following an agreement with
role players as well external industry health and lives of recipients and will “Women face many challenges and the most notable highlights for the Netcells, which does the actual cryo-
partners. The CTE is the only true never compromise on quality and have to juggle their professional, CTE. The programme is aimed at preservation of the valves.
multi-disciplinary tissue bank in the safety. family and social lives, as well as alleviating the dire need for skin “We are extremely proud of the
country,” says Ndhlovu. “As far as the retrieval of tissue is other aspects of daily life. My advice to treat burn victims and prevent progress the CTE has made in 14
concerned, our retrieval officers are is to surround yourself with sup- the death of victims. These deaths years and take courage from the
Why would people become compelled to adhere to very strict portive, like-minded people who occur not only because of the sever- TUT slogan ‘We Empower People’.
donors? locally and internationally recog- understand where you are heading ity of the burns, but because there Looking at the work of the CTE, this
Ndhlovu explains that, although nised procedures, against which they and who can provide the support you are no effective, affordable syn- slogan rings true in every sense of
there is little awareness about tis- are continually evaluated. need to succeed. In this way the bat- thetic treatment options available the word,” concludes Ndhlovu.