Press Release: On the 21st of September 2023, TELL celebrated their 5th Birthday with a celebration to remember. 

TELL, a leading organisation dedicated to promoting organ donation awareness and saving lives, celebrated a significant milestone as it turned five years old. To commemorate this momentous occasion, the charity hosted a vibrant and heart-warming celebration attended by founders, friends, doctors, and esteemed heads of other organisations in the field.

The anniversary celebration, held on Thursday 21 September 2023, at The Wildside Restaurant, was a testament to the charity’s unwavering commitment to its mission of advocating for organ donation and supporting individuals in need of life-saving transplants. The event brought together a diverse group of individuals of around 50 people who have played pivotal roles in the charity’s journey and shared a common passion for improving the lives of those affected by organ failure.

Guests at the celebration enjoyed a delectable array of food, indulged in a delicious rainbow cake, and raised a toast with champagne, all in the spirit of camaraderie and shared purpose. The atmosphere was filled with joy, laughter, and gratitude as attendees reflected on the achievements of the charity over the past five years.

Alice Vogt (Finance Director) welcomed guests and Fawn Kruger (Marketing Director) made a short speech about TELL’s mission and the 3 sectors it focuses on. These were:

1. Public: Increase public awareness of organ donation and ensure people know that they need to TELL their family of their wishes to become an organ and tissue donor as the family will have the final say.
2. Medical Professionals: Increase awareness to medical professionals who need to understand the referral process. When a potential donor becomes available, if they are not referred to the transplant coordinators then the process ends there. So it’s vital medical staff understand the process.
3. Patients: This includes providing pre and post-transplant recipients with support, visiting transplant kids in hospital, gifting them mini Zanes, and lastly allowing them to tell their stories.

Stella de Kock (Managing Director) thanked everyone for attending, including TELL’s two sponsors for the evening, Hospicare Renal and Renal Care Society SA.

She expressed deep gratitude for the support received over the years. “It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come in just five years,”. “Our mission to promote organ donation and provide hope to those in need has only been possible because of the unwavering support of our incredible community.”

A highlight of the night was the arrival of Zane who popped in for a few photos. Coreen Walstra (Project Manager) made sure that everyone was able to strike a pose with Zane and have a photo to remember the occasion.

Photo (LtoR): Alice Vosloo, Fawn Kruger, Zane, Stella de Kock and Coreen Walstra

Photo: Zane and Brent Lindeque, the Good Things Guy

Two beautiful paintings were generously donated, which were raffled off during the event, the artwork created by Nina Ernst, depicts her interpretation of organ donation and Fawn Kruger’s watercolour.

We were able to raise R9050 via the sale of the raffle tickets; Hospicare Renal Centre Roodepoort and Renal Care Society of South Africa who contributed funds towards the function and the raffle. If you wish to donate to TELL for our birthday and assist us with reaching our goals, please see our banking details below: 

Name: Transplant Education for Living Legacies NPO
Bank: First National Bank (FNB)
Account type: Cheque
Account no: 62818725775
Branch code: 250655

The event not only celebrated the charity’s achievements but also served as a platform to acknowledge the tireless efforts of medical professionals, researchers, and individuals who work tirelessly to facilitate organ donations and transplants. Representatives from partner organisations and medical experts in the field were present, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that drives advancements in organ transplantation.

TELL’s Achievements over the last 5 years:

– 3000 MakeItKnown tattoos

– 116 of Zanes gifted

– 68 Shadow Surgeries attended (TELL arranges for medical students to attend an organ transplant)

– 800 Healthcare professionals trained

– 97 transplant stories told

– 3^rd time entering a team for the Virgin Active Ride Joburg (You can join our team https://tell.org.za/projects/#public