The city came together to raise awareness on 'World Thalassemia Day' on Monday. NH Health City organised a press conference about 30-year-old Mumtaj Surya, a patient with Thalassemia major.
She was diagnosed with Thalassemia at a tender age of six months. That is the usual story of Thalassemia patients who do not undergo a bone marrow transplant. According to Dr Sharat Damodar, Clinical Director, senior consultant Hematologist and Head of Bone Marrow Transplant Unit in Narayana Hospital, the fact that Mumtaj was able to survive past the estimated 20-25 years, as well as deliver a perfectly healthy baby is a "rare occurrence in the history of Thalassemia."
The conference was organised mainly to shed light on the statistical report, which stated that 30 million people in India are affected by Thalassemia from birth and constitutes one of the most common genetic diseases worldwide. The conference encouraged all those affected by Thalassemia, by offering a ray of hope in two forms, the first being 'Gene Therapy' as opposed to the common practice of 'Bone Marrow Therapy', which, though is not practiced in India as of yet, has received a great response in other countries. The second, could be seen in Mamtaj herself. Though she had been diagnosed with this disorder from birth, she has never seen herself as any less than normal, nor has her confidence in herself faltered.
The conference also sought to appeal to those struggling with Thalassemia, that this disorder could be prevented with a simple blood test before planning conception, proving an old saying once again that, "prevention is better than cure."
