Zululand Observer - Weekender

Bay boy needs support for medical treatment

- Conelia Harry

RICHARDS Bay youngster Diveshan Govender (7) needs the community's help to raise R400 000 by 1 July to meet his cancer treatment medical costs.

The Richards Bay Primary School pupil was diagnosed in August 2020 at the tender age of 5 with acute lymphoblas­tic leukaemia.

After conducting the bone marrow aspiration, tests confirmed his diagnosis and he was transferre­d to Kidzcan Haematolog­y in Durban and has been on treatment since.

Diveshan underwent the induction and chemo blocks, and went into remission, but in April 2022, he relapsed and was back on treatment. He completed intense chemothera­py and is now in recovery.

His family's desperatio­n led them to look for an internatio­nal donor to find a stem cell match, as at present, donors of Indian descent account for a tiny percentage of the SA Bone Marrow Registry donor database.

His medical journey went viral after a Back-a Buddy profile was created, and donations began

pouring in from far and wide.

His father, Deon has thanked the community for their support and all the organisati­ons which have pledged to host fundraiser­s for Diveshan this month.

He appealed to communitie­s to continue their efforts to help meet their 1 July deadline.

Locally, community groups and organisati­ons are rallying behind the seven-year-old.

This Friday in Richards Bay, the Pointe Ballet School and one of the school's parents, Nerusha Musliah is hosting a cupcakes and coffee fundraiser at 81 Kolstertkr­ing, Meerensee from 2pm to 5pm.

Dance moms, teachers and parents from Richards Bay

Primary School, as well as community members have donated the refreshmen­ts for resale to make this fundraiser possible.

To support this event, contact Gretchen Smit on 073 3687627 or Nerusha Musliah on 071 4215202.

'Donations can be made via the Back-a-Buddy website - www.backabuddy.co.za/ diveshan-govender

Alternativ­ely, deposits can be made into the following banking account:

Standard Bank current account

Diveshan Govender 1017405328­0 Branch Code: 058030 Swift code: SBZAZAJJ

 ?? ?? Diveshan Govender (7)
Diveshan Govender (7)

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