Diagnosed with stage five kidney failure at 15, DK found new life through his mother’s kidney… and he’s now inspiring others to become organ donors too.
Pretoria, South Africa (27 May 2025) – When Ditshegofatso Kgobisa was just 15, his world changed overnight. The vibrant teenager, known as DK, was suddenly too unwell to keep down even a meal. What followed was a whirlwind of emergency hospital visits, a devastating diagnosis, and a journey that tested, and ultimately celebrated, the strength of a loving family and the incredible dedication of healthcare heroes.
Now, just a few years later, DK is thriving, back at school, back to dreaming big and back to being a teenager with a whole future ahead of him.
And it’s all thanks to one extraordinary act of love from his mother, Rosemary.
It was the 8th of December 2021 when DK’s mother got the call that would change everything. Their trusted family doctor, Dr Lilian Sanyane, urged the family to get DK to the emergency department immediately.
Within hours, DK was admitted to Netcare Montana Hospital and diagnosed with stage five kidney failure. Already managing epilepsy, the teenager now had to face a new and terrifying condition. The kidney failure brought on dangerously high blood pressure, eventually leading to a haemorrhagic stroke that required emergency surgery.
“For a parent, there are no words. We didn’t know anything about dialysis at that stage, and we were scared,” Rosemary recalls. But amid the panic, a team of healthcare professionals stepped in – not only with medical expertise but with a plan, and with hope.
That’s what dialysis looked like for DK, and it became part of his routine for nearly a year. The National Renal Care (NRC) Montana’s acute dialysis team stepped in quickly, and DK began sessions at the hospital just days after his diagnosis.
“A supportive family is everything,” said Mary Mosetlha, who was the unit manager of NRC Montana at the time. “DK’s parents, his brother, aunts, cousins – they didn’t just drop him off. They stayed, they supported, they cared. We all became a family.”
Dialysis isn’t just a treatment; it’s a lifestyle. And for young patients like DK, the emotional and psychological toll can be just as intense as the physical one. But through it all, the Kgobisa family showed up. Again and again.
Very early in DK’s treatment, the family began talking about transplantation. Rosemary, her husband, and their eldest son all stepped forward to be tested as potential kidney donors. When Rosemary was identified as the best match, there was no hesitation.
With the support of their transplant coordinator, Sister Nthabiseng Sono, the family prepared for surgery at Netcare Jakaranda Hospital in November 2022.
“The kidney started working immediately,” Rosemary says. “Within days, DK had his energy back. He was literally running around the hospital! I told him, it feels like I gave birth to you twice. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
The bond between DK and his mother is now visible in more than just shared DNA.
“I appreciate my scar a lot,” Rosemary says. “It reminds me of the gift I gave, and the love I have for my son.”
Today, DK is 18 and back at school. He’s passionate about music, acting and dreams of becoming a music producer.
“I want to thank my family for all the love and support, and especially my mom, who gave me the kidney that saved my life,” he says.
He also offered heartfelt thanks to the entire healthcare team.
“Thank you to every nurse and doctor who helped me. You were my lifeline.”
The Kgobisa family’s story is not just about survival, it’s about showing what’s possible when love, faith, and medical care come together.
“We want to share our experience to show that good outcomes are possible,” Rosemary says.
Their story is a reminder of the power of organ donation, a gift that not only saves lives but restores families, futures and hope.
If there’s one thing Rosemary would like to leave us with, it’s this: “Please consider becoming an organ donor. It’s the greatest gift you can give. A second chance. A second life.”
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