Jenna Lowe Trust

“I can make a difference and a difference can make me” ~ Jenna Lowe, aged 12 years old

Watch the trailer of “Get Me To 21 – The Jenna Lowe Story”

This 90-minute Award Winning Documentary us available throughout Africa on SHOWMAX - or reach out to gabi@upfrontmarketing.co.za if you are interested in discussing an international distribution deal.

Awards won so far:

Winner Best Feature Documentary at the IMDb Cannes Arts Film Festival 7th edition for 2024
Winner Best Feature Film at the IMDb Toronto Documentary and Feature Short Film Festival 2024
Outstanding Excellence Award at the IMDb Women’s International Film Festival 2024
Outstanding Excellence Award at the IMDb Documentaries Without Borders Human Spirit Category 2024
Outstanding Excellence Award at the IMDb Documentaries Without Borders Health Category 2024

#GETMETO21 - The campaign

In October 2014, 20-year-old Jenna Lowe invited the entire nation to her 21st birthday. The response was astounding.

Her video went viral, it was all over social media, in every newspaper and on radio and on television. This was the single most successful call to action for organ donors in South Africa; more than 20 000 new donors signed up in just three months. It meant an incredible 287% increase in donor registrations and well over R14 million in media-generating awareness for the dire situation of organ donating in SA.

A message from the family

In 2012, our gorgeous, healthy 17-year-old daughter Jenna was diagnosed with an extremely rare lung disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension. This little-known, degenerative and life-threatening condition changed not only Jenna’s life, but all of our lives, forever.

Bright, beautiful and extraordinarily eloquent, Jenna demonstrated exceptional leadership and courage throughout her three-and-a-half-year battle with this debilitating illness. She helped raise much-needed awareness for pulmonary hypertension, opened up new treatment options and brought global expertise to South Africa. Tragically, Jenna passed away in hospital on 8 June 2015. Her short life had a massive social impact, most notably with her internationally acclaimed and award-winning #GetMeTo21 campaign that significantly increased organ donor registration in South Africa. The Jenna Lowe Trust honours her legacy in all that it does in supporting pulmonary hypertension, organ transplantation and rare diseases in South Africa.

Written by: Gabi and Stuart Lowe, Cape Town, South Africa

Quick facts - Things you need to know

Organ Donation

Even though SA is the home of the first ever heart transplant less that 0.3% of our population are organ donors. On any one given day there are at least 4,300 people awaiting an organ transplant. It is quick, easy and costs nothing to become a donor. Your organs could save up to seven lives when you die.

Rare Diseases

Did you know that over 7,000 different rare diseases have been identified to date, directly affecting the daily life of more than 350 million people worldwide? The complex nature of rare diseases, coupled with limited access to treatment and services, means that family members are often the primary source of solidarity, support and care for their loved ones. The Rare Disease Society of SA has become a crucial source of information, experience and resources for families affected by rare diseases in South Africa.

Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary Hypertension is a progressive, degenerative disease caused by the narrowing or tightening of the veins and arteries in the lungs. Common early symptoms of PH include: Breathlessness (particularly during physical activity); excessive fatigue; dizziness; fainting; peripheral oedema and chest pain (particularly during physical activity).