1,000 transplants and new beginnings: Thalassemia patients get a second chance
A collaborative effort between Sankalp India Foundation, DKMS, and Cure2Children has reached the milestone of 1,000 stem cell transplants for children with thalassemia. The initiative provides life-saving treatment to patients who otherwise face high-risk, expensive medical procedures.
Why it matters
This highlights a significant advancement in accessible healthcare for children suffering from chronic blood disorders in India.
When Muhammad Shaheem, 17, from Karnataka was diagnosed with severe thalassemia at just five months old, regular blood transfusions became a part of his childhood. Years of transfusions, however, led to severe iron overload that affected his heart and liver, making a stem cell transplant a particularly high-risk procedure.
A possible way out came from within his own family when Shaheem’s younger sister, Zara, 7, was identified as a full Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-matched donor. After extensive preparation and counselling at the Sankalp-Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Hospital in Bengaluru, his family decided to proceed with the transplant.
Their mother, Zareena, who lives with thalassemia major, said, “I continue to undergo treatment and regular blood transfusions. Though it was a difficult decision to make in my son’s case, it has ultimately given my son a second chance for better life without being troubled much by the disease.”
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