Jasper Makungu, the 13-year-old boy with sickle cell disease whose life-saving transplant was arranged after the Mirror stepped in, is now ready to go back to school. His family has thanked the Mirror and charity DKMS for giving him a "second chance at life" during Organ Donation Week.
Two years ago, Jasper was taken to a hospital in India alongside his sister Mercy, then 16, who was found to be a perfect match for a stem cell transplant by blood cancer charity DKMS. The procedure was carried out in Bangalore, India, in 2024, around 4,000 miles from Jasper's home in Zambia.
A family's gratitude after a life-saving transplant
Jasper has just been able to leave isolation after his immune system was wiped prior to the transplant. His mother Carol Njovu, 45, a secondary school teacher, spoke of their gratitude and the miracle of transplantation.
Back home in Kabwe, Zambia, Jasper's father Jackson, 48, told the Mirror: "Our little boy is getting big now. We are so grateful to you. You have been a blessing to me and my family."
Mercy, who would like to be a nurse, had bone marrow removed from her hip, and her stem cells were then taken from it and given to Jasper. She stayed in India with her brother, studying online to keep up with her school work.
A father's struggle and a donor's hope
In September 2022, the Mirror first met Jasper's father at a disused lead mine close to their home in Kabwe, described as the most toxic town on Earth. He was digging for the metal, which sells for 68p per bag, to feed his family. He told of the tragic loss of his first son Jackson Jr to sickle cell disease at five years old, and the need to treat Jasper.
The Mirror enlisted the help of DKMS, and Jasper was fit enough to travel to India in 2024. Deborah Hyde, UK spokeswoman for DKMS, said: "Everyone at DKMS is so happy to hear that Jasper is doing so well, and that his stem cell transplant has given him a second chance at life.
"You can help DKMS offer second chances to more people waiting for a transplant from a matching donor – joining the stem cell donor register. It takes just minutes and could save a life."
Transplant crisis and how to help
Without a stem cell transplant, children like Jasper who have life-threatening blood disorders often do not survive their childhoods. In countries like Zambia, this treatment is not available, and patients have to travel abroad, which is often beyond their means.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition affecting around 17,000 people in the UK. The sickle-shaped cells clog blood vessels and harm organs. Some victims die in childhood or have regular painful episodes. People aged 17 to 55 in reasonably good health can join the DKMS register.
The NHS says registering your organ donation decision takes just a few minutes but could save up to nine lives. Registering your decision on the NHS Organ Donation website helps families to know what you want and could transform someone's life. Jasper's story gives hope to more than 8,691 patients on the donor transplant waiting list in the UK, including 227 children.
