22/07/2026
𝐀 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐛 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞
The person who could save a young girl’s life could be living in the Garden Route.
For many people, stem cell donation feels like something that happens to someone else, until it doesn't. Now, Esther Jacobs, Mossel Bay-based communications specialist, is hoping her family's journey will inspire hundreds of Garden Route residents to register as potential stem cell donors, helping to grow the international registry and offering hope to patients around the world.
The Garden Route community is invited to register as potential stem cell donors at one of two upcoming DKMS donor drives. The first will take place on Saturday, 1 August, from 09:00 to 15:00 at Garden Walk Mall Mossel Bay, while a second registration drive will be held on Sunday, 2 August, from 09:00 to 15:00 at Garden Route Mall, George. By taking just a few minutes to complete a simple cheek swab, participants can help grow the international stem cell donor registry and offer hope to people around the world battling blood cancers and blood disorders.
At just 13 years old, Alba Overbeeke should be busy with school, friends, and weekend plans. Instead, she's undergoing intensive treatment for a relapse of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. If her treatment progresses as hoped, she will need a stem cell transplant, meaning somewhere in the world a stranger whose DNA is almost identical to hers will need to be found.
While the event was sparked by Alba's story, its purpose extends far beyond one family.
Every person who joins the registry could one day become the lifesaving match for a child, parent, sibling or friend somewhere in the world.
The registration process is quick, painless and free. Eligible volunteers simply complete a short registration form before using a few cotton swabs to collect a sample from the inside of their cheeks. The sample is then analysed, and their tissue type is added to the international donor registry.
Many people assume that becoming a stem cell donor involves major surgery, but that's one of the biggest misconceptions. While most registered donors are never called upon to donate, those who are identified as a match will find that around 90% of stem cell donations are collected from the bloodstream in a process similar to donating blood or plasma.
The community initiative is being coordinated by Grindstone, a Mossel Bay-based creative and digital agency, and destination management organisation Unfound Garden Route, in partnership with DKMS Africa.
For Grindstone Managing Director Lynette Whittaker, the decision to become involved was both a professional and deeply personal one.
"As a mother, I simply can't imagine what Esther and her family have been navigating over the past couple of months. My youngest child goes to school with Alba, so this story has touched our family in a very real way. At Grindstone, we've always believed that business is about people first. When one of our own is facing something like this, supporting them isn't just the right thing to do; it's who we are. If we can use our networks and our community to encourage more people to register as stem cell donors, then we have an opportunity to help far more families than just one."
Esther Jacobs, Head of Communications and Sustainability at Grindstone, and Alba's mother, says that she believes in her community and networks to rally together for Alba.
"The hope I have to keep holding onto is that somewhere in the world, there may already be someone who could save my daughter's life… they just don't know they're needed yet," says Jacobs. "This event is proof of what can happen when a community comes together. I'm incredibly grateful to Grindstone for supporting my family so wholeheartedly throughout Alba's treatment, and for using its expertise to turn our story into something that could help not only Alba, but many other families searching for a stem cell donor. The more people who register, the greater the chance that all these families have to find a match for their loved one."
Although the event has been inspired by Alba's journey, she has made it clear that she hopes it will become something much bigger than her. "If sharing my story encourages more people to join the stem cell donor registry, I know that it could also help countless other families," says Alba.
The event is open to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria for joining the stem cell donor registry. Representatives from DKMS Africa will be on site throughout the day to answer questions, guide participants through the registration process and explain what stem cell donation involves.
Community members are encouraged to bring friends, family and
colleagues and to help spread the word.
The person who could save a life may already be living in the Garden Route. We just have to find them.
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Event Details - Saturday 1 August 2026
What: DKMS Stem Cell Donor Registration Drive
Time: 09:00 – 15:00
Venue: Garden Walk Mall, Mossel Bay
Hosted by: Grindstone and Unfound Garden Route in partnership with DKMS Africa
Event Details - Sunday 2 August 2026
What: DKMS Stem Cell Donor Registration Drive
Time: 09:00 – 15:00
Venue: Garden Route Mall, George
Hosted by: Grindstone and Unfound Garden Route in partnership with DKMS Africa
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DKMS Africa is part of the international DKMS network, one of the world's largest stem cell donor organisations. Its mission is to give patients with blood cancers and blood disorders the best possible chance of finding a matching stem cell donor by growing diverse donor registries and raising awareness about stem cell donation.
Grindstone is a Garden Route-based boutique digital and creative agency specialising in branding, strategy, web design and development, and communications. With a passion for purposeful work, the agency helps businesses and organisations turn bold ideas into brands that make a lasting impact.
Garden Route Unfound is a collaborative destination management initiative bringing together event strategists, marketers, and industry experts to position the Garden Route as one of South Africa’s most exciting destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events.
Media Contact
Lynette Whittaker
CEO | Grindstone
grindstone.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 82 925 0558
Samu Hashe
PR Manager | DKMS Africa
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 21 701 0661
