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01 March 2023 | Story Kian Terwin | Photo Supplied
bone marrow drive
From the left: Dr M Moller, Dr C Steyn (Clinical Haematology), Dr N Motloung, Dr J Malherbe (Head of Clinical Unit: Clinical Haematology), Dr A van Marle (Haematopathologist), Dr E Bowen, Dr Q van Staden, and Dr T Gutu
Every 72 minutes, someone in South Africa is diagnosed with a blood cancer or blood disorder such as leukaemia, aplastic anaemia, and sickle cell disease. Often, a blood stem-cell transplant from a matching donor is their only hope for a cure.

The University of the Free State, in association with PathCare and DKMS Africa, will run a bone marrow donation registration drive from 1 to 3 March 2023. With this drive, we hope to set new records in bone marrow donation registration. The process is a simple, non-painful swab in your mouth and filling out a form that will take about two minutes.  

During this drive, blood stem-cell donors will be recruited for the DKMS Africa registry, so that patients in need of a life-saving stem cell transplant can find matching donors. Everyone (students and staff) is welcome and will be rewarded with chocolate for their registration. In addition, our goal is also to establish a community of well-informed and committed stem-cell donors.

The UFS hosted its first donor recruitment drive in October 2022, recruiting 434 donors. This was record-breaking, since other universities did not reach this number of registrations. We aim to surpass the previous year’s registrations, since recruitment will take place on the Bloemfontein Campus and in the Faculty of Health Sciences. 

The drive will take place on the following days:
Wednesday 1 March 2023:  Thakaneng Bridge 
Thursday 2 March 2023:   Thakaneng Bridge 
Friday 3 March 2023:  Francois Retief Foyer 

Let us fight THE FIGHT AGAINST BLOOD CANCER and other BLOOD DISORDERS. Come and register as a blood stem-cell donor. The more donors we have on the registry, the greater the chance of helping people who need a life-saving stem cell transplant. TOGETHER WE CAN DO MORE.

News Archive

UFS warmly welcomes prospective students at Open Day
2016-05-19

Description: 2016-05-14 Open Day Blfn Tags: 2016-05-14 Open Day Blfn

Prospective students of 2017 were treated to an Open Day filled with various activities on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State.
Photo: Johan Roux

"There is a great deal of political and financial pressure on universities in South Africa, and that is exactly why the country’s future leaders need to be trained at the top universities."

With these words, Prof Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), welcomed prospective students in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus as part of the Open Day held on 14 May 2016. The UFS is a place where students can fulfil their dreams.

Learners were welcomed warmly on a cold day filled with various activities, and invited to become part of the Kovsie family. Prospective students were treated to many surprises, like a laser show and a performance by South African Music Award-nominated artist, Kyle Deutsch, who performed his popular crowd hit, ‘Back to the beach’, at the informal welcoming ceremony.

Examples of true Kovsies

Prof Jansen said at the official welcoming that graduating from the UFS does two things: It gives a student a Kovsie degree, and it helps to make them decent human beings in a divided country. He encouraged the learners to be as humble as the World 400m champion, Wayde van Niekerk, and to love without borders like Tanya Calitz, the Kovsie Dux of 2015. They are examples of what it means being a true Kovsie.

An information centre – which included on-site applications and a stall with KovsieGear merchandise – was stationed in the H van der Merwe Scholtz Hall, while residences and student associations also had stalls on campus. In the Main Building, parents were able to meet Prof Jansen.

Deans and faculties encourage

Apart from various presentations and interaction with staff, the learners were also welcomed by the deans of their faculties. Prof Danie Vermeulen, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, said they must study what they love. “Live your own dream. That is why you come to university.”

“The UFS Faculty of Education is a training centre for leaders. We develop leaders with a commitment to serving the community,” said Prof Sechaba Mahlomaholo, Dean of the Faculty of Education.

Click here to see a highlights video of the Bloemfontein Campus Open Day, or here for a video of the Qwaqwa Campus Open Day.

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