Meet the Cover Stars OUR COVER STARS ARE SHARLEIGH AND RIEKERT WILKEN WITH THEIR SONS, REECE (18) AND KYLE (16). THEY ARE ALL DONNING COLOURFUL SUNFLOWER FUND TOPES IN HONOUR OF SUNFLOWER DAY ON 13 NOVEMBER.
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eece is currently writing his matric final exams and according to his mom he is a calm, mature and level headed young man who loves playing rugby and golf. He has been a leader in both junior school and high school and is a chef in life’s kitchen. Kyle is currently in grade 10 and is a whizz with technology and design, adventurous and also plays rugby. He has an engineering brain and has incredible patience with solving problems relating to mechanics. “They are both blood donors and my journey with leukaemia has enabled them to show compassion to those struggling with health issues,” says their proud mom. Sharleigh was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2011 at the age of 33 and started treatment immediately. “After two years of ongoing treatment, the cancer had sadly spread to my spinal fluid and was putting pressure on my brain, which caused complications and two strokes,” explains Sharleigh. “When returning to hospital for an amended treatment plan after the third year, I experienced a serious complication when
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receiving my new chemotherapy port and I slipped into a coma for almost a month. With very little hope, yet overwhelming faith, I lay in hospital while my family, friends and the community prayed for a miracle and I miraculously awoke but was paralysed from the neck down and had to learn to talk, walk, eat and move again.” Sharleigh was told that she would need a bone marrow transplant and her amazing doctor, Dr JP Singh, began looking for a match but they were unsuccessful. “In September 2014, and only by the grace of God, my own stem cells were retested and I was given the chance to harvest my own cells in order to go ahead with the transplant. I spent a total of 194 days in isolation during my fight with Leukaemia and on 1 October 2014 I had my stem cell transplant and was given another chance at life!”
Although she didn’t make use of the Sunflower fund, Sharleigh is a supporter of the organisation, which is a donor recruitment centre and stem cell registry for Africa and is part of a global network, dedicated to creating awareness about blood diseases and stem cell donation, recruiting blood stem cell donors and maintaining a registry of committed donors. “By registering to be a donor, you are offering a patient and their family an indescribable amount of HOPE. It allows them to enjoy another Christmas together, a graduation, a chance to make new memories and a second chance at living. “I give all Glory to God for my current healing and remission status. I will be forever grateful to my wonderful husband, children, family, doctor, nurses and beautiful friends for their support,” concludes Sharleigh.
