‘Thalassemia patients living longer as awareness improve’

Ahmedabad: Kinjal Lathi, 33, a resident of Ahmedabad, is a proud mother of a 7-year-old daughter. "I was just three months old when I was diagnosed with thalassemia major. Since then, I have been on regular blood transfusions. My parents were unaware of the condition, but today there is far greater awareness — I married someone without the condition, and my daughter has thalassemia minor," she says.As World Thalassemia Day was observed on May 8, a special programme was organized by city-based associations to raise awareness about the disorder and bring together the close-knit community.Dr Anil Khatri, managing trustee of Thalassemia Jagruti Foundation, said that over the decades, patients' lifespan has increased significantly. "Earlier, many patients survived only till the age of 15. Today, with timely transfusions, iron chelation and regular monitoring, many patients are living into their late 50s and even close to 60 years," he said, adding that treatment protocols and social awareness have improved.Several patients receive support from trusts, NGOs and organizations such as the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) for treatment and transfusions. Friday's event focused on advancements in blood transfusion, iron overload management, transplantation and the importance of premarital testing to prevent thalassemia major in children. Experts said thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder where the body does not produce enough healthy haemoglobin, often requiring patients with thalassemia major to undergo lifelong transfusions.Doctors also cautioned about iron overload due to repeated transfusions, which can damage the heart, liver and endocrine organs if untreated. They said iron chelation therapy and routine monitoring help prevent such complications, while bone marrow transplant remains a potential cure in select cases.