Thalassemia Day Celebration by SRCC Children’s Hospital, Managed by Narayana Health

by Suman Gupta

Mumbai, May, 2022: Every year on the 8^th of May, International Thalassemia Day is celebrated throughout the globe with the key objective of raising awareness among all including the general masses and the decision-makers. For the last five years since SRCC Children’s Hospital, managed by Narayana Health started its journey, the institution has been observing International Thalassemia Day along with other important health days.

“Be Aware, Share, care” – is the Theme for Thalassemia Day 2022 – So we shall work together towards this goal” – said Dr. Purna Kurkure, Head of The Department- Paediatric Haematology, Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant of SRCC Children’s hospital, managed by Narayana Health.

This year the Hospital has observed the day with two-prong objectives: 1) Spreading Awareness and 2) Drive for Curative Treatment options. To give these two objectives effective shapes, the hospital rolled out two campaigns- #PassOnTheRedBall and THE SEARCH FOR SUPERHEROES BEGINS.

PassOnTheRedBall:Is a unique and engaging initiative to spread awareness by passing a branded red ball with a QR code. Once it is scanned and downloaded, one will have a PDF file to know about Thalassemia the disease and its multifarious manifestations for early detection, India’s Thalassemia caseload, how one can be effective in preventing Thalassemia, why one needs to donate blood for Thalassemia inflected patients and the symptomatic and curative treatment option for suffering children at our hospital. The ball was distributed among the hospital employees, various corporates, and morning walkers with the request of passing the information to one’s society or colleagues to turn it into social responsibility and movement.

THE SEARCH FOR SUPERHEROES BEGINS:As the disease is all about the disorder of the blood where the red blood cells are broken down due to an inherited genetic defect, Stem cell or Bone Marrow Transplantation is the only treatment option available today to cure the disease by mending the genetic disorder from the core. When the stem cells from a healthy donor are dripped through the vein of affected children, the fresh cells start generating healthy red blood cells by replacing thalassemia inflicted cells. But to have a related stem cell donor is itself a challenge as the siblings of the affected child are prone to carry the same anomaly and the parents are half-matched. In this situation going for an HLA-matched unrelated donor is the only ray of hope.  As a result, the hospital, in association with DATRI, organized a Stem Cell Donor Registration camp at the hospital premises. The employees wholeheartedly participated in the donor’s drive.