Wendy Mashinini (Matric Class of 2017) founded a non-profit organisation, The Wendy Mashinini Foundation, focuses on raising awareness about kidney health and related issues such as organ donation and trafficking.
Wendy was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, a rare kidney condition at the age of three. She was fortunate enough to have a successful biopsy that hasn’t needed dialysis or a transplant as yet, unlike other children who had been admitted at the time and are no longer alive today as many children with her condition lived out the rest of their lives on dialysis. Growing up, Wendy had a lot of restrictions such as being prevented from having things other children would enjoy due to a very restrictive diet .
As a kidney patient, she felt a strong sense of duty after seeing what the condition had done to other children.
Her foundation’s mission is to raise funds and buy dialysis machines to donate to places in need as there are more people on the waiting list for not just dialysis but transplants than are actually receiving them. The Foundation also wants more outpatient centres to be established so that access to treatment may be made more accessible to patients. The ultimate aim is a renal hospital.
To be part of the Wendy Mashinini Foundation contact her on 073 626 4587 or at Wendy.mash1.wm@gmail.com.