Press Release: National Kidney Awareness Week 1-5 September 2025

Shining a Light on Children, Chronic Kidney Disease, and the Gift of Donation

South Africa faces one of the highest rates of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) worldwide, driven largely by diabetes, high blood pressure, and HIV. Yet despite the urgent need, our country has one of the lowest organ donation rates globally – just 1.2 donors per million population.
This National Kidney Awareness Week (1–5 September), Transplant Education for Living Legacies (TELL) is shining a light on the most vulnerable patients of all: children living with chronic kidney disease. For these young patients, organ donation – whether from a living donor or a deceased donor – can mean the difference between years of invasive dialysis and the chance to live a full, healthy life.

Stories of Hope

Phamela’s Blessing
Phamela Mavundza, now 23 and living in Acadia, Pretoria, received her life-saving kidney transplant in 2007 at just five years old. She had spent five long years on the waiting list, much of her childhood in and out of hospital. Her chance at life came when, in their time of grief, a family consented to deceased donation, giving Phamela the gift that allowed her to grow up. Today she describes life as “great”: she has finished school and now raises awareness about organ donation for children in need. She calls her transplant a true “blessing.”

A Father’s Transformational Gift
For Benji Altschuler, a 30-year-old chartered accountant from Johannesburg, living donation meant saving the life of his 2-year-old son. In 2023, Benji became his little boy’s kidney donor. He was the first family member tested – and miraculously, a perfect match. That meant his son avoided the uncertainty of the waiting list.

The news brought mixed emotions: relief, anxiety, and anticipation. “You’re grateful to be a match, but the reality of surgery is still overwhelming,” Benji reflects.

After a few weeks of recovery, Benji’s life returned to normal – perhaps even better. He now takes greater care of his health and avoids anti-inflammatories. He calls the experience “transformational” and believes the biggest barrier to more donors in South Africa is simple: a lack of education and lingering misconceptions.

A Sister’s Brave Decision
Libuseng Moqoboko, didn’t hesitate when doctors confirmed she could donate. “Watching my brother sick and not living like other teenagers was very sad,” she says. This was her brother second transplant, the first lasted 8 years and on the waiting list for 2 years for a second transplant; “I wanted to help him live his life.”

In 2012, she gave him her left kidney- a gift she now describes in one word: reborn.

“When I was told I was a match, I felt anxious, relieved, and brave at the same time,” she remembers. “It wasn’t easy, but I knew it was the right thing to do.”

Libuseng is thriving. Married with three children and working full-time, she says her health is excellent. “Life after donation is great – healthy and normal,” she explains. “If you follow the advice of doctors and nurses, you can live a full life.”

The Hidden Dangers of Kidney Disease
What many people don’t realise is that you can lose up to 90% of your kidney function without showing obvious signs or symptoms. By the time symptoms appear, kidney damage is often severe and irreversible.

The urgency is even more pronounced given the hidden health risks facing children and adults alike: Kidney risks often stay hidden. In an Eastern Cape study, 5.2% of primary school children had hypertension and 18.5% had pre-hypertension. Across Africa, rates rise with age and obesity—and South African teen cohorts show similarly high levels. For adults, CKD prevalence in South Africa is typically ~6–9% using standard definitions, though older community studies using different methods reported higher figures (up to ~24%), underscoring the need for early screening and consistent measurement.”

That’s why doctors stress the importance of early detection. Checking your blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and kidney function regularly – even in children – is vital, especially if there’s a family history of kidney failure or a chronic condition that increases risk.

While Phamela and Benji’s son received their gifts in time, many others are still waiting. Over 8,000 people in South Africa need life-saving transplants – including 40 children. Globally, children wait on average 2.5 times longer than adults for organs.

When these silent conditions catch people off guard, families are often unprepared to make informed decisions about organ donation. Without clear knowledge of your wishes, your family may hesitate and may end up saying no. The truth is simple: families have the power to save lives, but they need to know what you want ahead of time.

For Phamela, the lesson is simple: “People are afraid. It’s not that there are no donors – it’s that people are scared. But I’m here today because a family consented to donation.”

Benji echoes the call: “The myths need to be broken. Donation isn’t just about saving one life – it transforms families, too.”

A Call to Action
This National Kidney Awareness Week (1–5 September), Transplant Education for Living Legacies (TELL) urges South Africans to:
• Have your BP, glucose and kidney function checked – even children, especially if at risk factors are present.
• Invite kids into the conversation. Children are waiting longer for transplants – let’s educate them early through TELL’s Orgamites Programme.
• Talk to your family about your wishes regarding organ and tissue donation.
• Consider living donation – as a parent, sibling, friend, or even an altruistic donor.
• Support TELL’s mission by purchasing a Mini Zane toy, helping fund awareness and comfort for children awaiting transplants.
• Spread the message – break the silence in schools, workplaces, and communities.

For Phamela, and Benji, the message is clear: donation is not about loss, but about life. “Transformational,” adds Benji. And for Phamela, it’s nothing less than a “second chance.”

This National Kidney Awareness Week, check your health, talk to your family, and consider giving the gift of life. 

Who Can Be a Living Donor?
When it comes to organ donation, most people think only of deceased donors. But in South Africa, living donors play a vital role, especially in kidney transplants.

A healthy person can donate one kidney and live a full, active life with the other. This act can transform someone else’s future — turning years of dialysis into a new chance at life.

Living donors can be:

*Family members – often siblings, parents, or children who are genetically compatible.
* Friends – many people donate to someone close to them even without a biological match.
* Altruistic donors – complete strangers who step forward to give an organ out of compassion, without knowing the recipient personally.

Donors undergo thorough medical and psychological screening to ensure it’s safe for them to donate. After surgery, most return to their normal routines and live long, healthy lives.

This National Kidney Awareness Week, consider whether you could be someone’s second chance.