We organised the biggest 21st birthday party that South Africa’s ever seen. But it may never happen.

Meet Jenna. She’s a 19-year-old girl from Cape Town, planning her 21st birthday, but it’s not your everyday 21st because she’s inviting the entire country. To get on the guest list, all Jenna asks, is that you sign up as an organ donor. Why? Well, Jenna is also on another list: the organ transplant waiting list and if she is going to make it to

her 21st birthday party, she is going to need a new pair of lungs.

Over night, there were more than 1000 registrations. In just over 2 months, there was a 287% growth in the year-on-year registration rate and to date, more than 20 000 new organ donors have been added to the list.

The campaign made such an impact on South Africa that a nation-wide conversation began, generating more Twitter impressions than Twitter users, and dramatically flooding traditional media channels as well (12 radio interviews, 16 print/press articles, 29 articles/blogs, 3 TV interviews) earning a total of R17 million traditional media.

However, the most important result: Jenna got her new pair of lungs.