Apollo Hospitals Celebrate 30 Thalassemia Survivors

Why this is here: Keshika, a 16-year-old survivor, emphasized the difficulty of securing blood transfusions, stating her family often made “countless calls” each month to find a single unit.

Apollo Cancer Foundation and Apollo Speciality Hospitals in Chennai, India, marked World Thalassemia Day by celebrating 30 children who recovered through bone marrow transplantation. The Foundation provides access to these procedures for children from low-income families via the Thalassemia Bal Sewa Yojana, in partnership with Coal India Ltd.

Revathi Raj, a consultant at Apollo Speciality Hospitals, noted that early diagnosis and transplantation offer the best chance for a healthy life. Thamirabarani, a 25-year-old survivor, described a childhood marked by monthly transfusions and a later spleen removal before receiving a bone marrow transplant from her sibling.

Siddharth, another survivor, recalled the financial and emotional burden his family faced in 2007 due to limited awareness and financial assistance. While bone marrow transplantation can cure Thalassemia Major, access to treatment and sufficient blood donations remain ongoing challenges.