Blood Donors – God for Children Suffering From Thalassemia

Shimla, May 5 – Every year 8th May is celebrated as Thalassemia Day in the world. On this day, various voluntary organizations around the world organize blood donation camps and organize seminars on Thalassemia. The patients of this disease are all over the world but their number is very high in India. In the context of this here on Wednesday, the chairperson of School of Media and Mass Communication of APG Shimla University in association with Blood-Connect Foundation organized an online webinar with the theme “awareness without action is worthless” to aware the youths and general public to come forward for the service and bolster the children suffering from Thalassemia disease by donating blood and mass awareness. Dr. Tajender, the social activist from Blood-Connect Foundation addressed the APG varsity students and teachers that Thalassemia is a genetic disease. Symptoms of this disease start appearing only after a few weeks of birth, in which the lack of blood in the body of the patient is the main one, said Dr. Tajender. She said that due to lack of hemoglobin in the blood, yellowing of face, swelling of face and eyes, loss of appetite, excessive sluggishness and irritability are seen. Tajender told that to complete the amount of hemoglobin, the patient has to administer blood transfusion once in four weeks but as the age increases, it reaches once a week. Tajender also reported to the students through a documentary film made by her that underdeveloped red blood cells are formed in the bone marrow of children suffering from Thalassemia and their lifespan is also much deficiency of these cells, there is always a deficiency of hemoglobin and there is a need to give blood to the patient throughout his life. “There are mainly three types of Thalassemia patients such as Thalassemia minor, Thalassemia medium and Thalassemia major. Tajender told that Thalassemia minor is very healthy in appearance, male or female, and their hemoglobin level is also usually normal. Even a Thalassemia minor person can donate blood. But a person is diagnosed as having Thalassemia minor only after blood test. She said that according to an estimate there are about 6 crore children and older Thalassemia minor in the whole of India but only 2 two 3 percent of these people will be aware of their minor Thalassemia disease, especially those who have Thalassemia major disease in their children”, said Dr. Tajender.

When two such creatures who are Thalassemia minor get married among themselves, in case of their children, 50 percent of the children like them are minor and 25 percent of children are likely to be Thalassemia major disease. Another expert Harsh also illuminated his views on Thalassemia disease to apprise the students about Thalassemia and its treatment. The chairperson of Blood-Connect Foundation, social activist Tajender reported that Thalassemia major disease children are actually Thalassemia children. There are patients who need blood transfusion again and again. According to Dr. Tajender, providing information related to Thalassemia disease, no such drugs have been discovered yet due to Thalassemia being a genetic disease, using which the disease can be cured. Tajender said that the only treatment of Thalassemia is bone marrow transplant or nowadays it is also known as stem cell transplant. She said that due to blood donors, right awareness among masses, parents, family members, community and eradicating caustic thinking Thalassemia patients can get a new lease on life.