Stellenbosch University students changing the reality of organ donation in South Africa

 

Access to healthcare services is a human right, and organ transplantation is a critical area of healthcare that is vital in saving lives. Unfortunately, the global reality for many people in need of life-saving organ donation is spending years on a waiting list due to organ shortages. One factor exacerbating the issue of organ shortages is a lack of spaces and equipment to maintain the viability of donated organs. A group of students from Stellenbosch University is working on the Life Pod Project to forge that space.


The goal of the Life Pod Project is to construct a specialized intensive care unit (ICU) for organ donors at Tygerberg Hospital. By safely housing donors for the 12-36-hour period before surgery, the ICU would preserve the viability of donated organs potentially saving up to 100 lives annually.

The project started as a collaboration of students from Save7, a student driven non-profit dedicated to organ donation awareness, alongside faculty members, but grew to include a wealth of student volunteers from all sectors of the university invested in preserving the lives of those in need of organ transplants.








The final blockade preventing the LifePod project from launching is the last bit of funding. They need your help to raise R200,000 to get the project running.

For more information about Save7, you can visit their website at save7.org, or connect with them om Instagram @savesevenlives or LinkedIn @save7.

If you want to donate towards the Life Pod, you can make an EFT to SAVESEVEN at FNB account number 630-2528 6823, branch code: 260548. Please use “your name and LIFE POD" in your reference, as all donors will be named on a plaque in the Life Pod.

Finally, to hear the interview, click the video below:


Presenters: Jasnine Roberts, Nadia T

Producer: Nadia T

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