BENGALURU: At least 120 children diagnosed with thalassemia can look forward to a new life every year, thanks to a new bone marrow transplant (BMT) unit, which was inaugurated in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Sankalp India Foundation, an NGO that helped arrange blood transfusions for Thalassemia patients especially during the pandemic, has now taken a leap by setting up a BMT center and laboratory at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital. The new BMT unit worth Rs 5.5 crore was funded by DKMS, Deutsche Nauchenmarkspenderdeti or the German Bone Marrow Donor Centre.
Bone marrow transplant is the only permanent solution for Thalassemia and a transplant procedure costs more than Rs 20 lakhs. Sankalp has already conducted bone marrow transplants for 15 children.
Padmavati, mother of a seven-year-old who underwent a bone marrow transplant two years ago with the help of Sankalp Foundation, said, “The foundation helped end my son’s years of pain and suffering. He was diagnosed with thalassemia at the age of one and was in and out of the hospital for frequent blood transfusions from then until his transplant.
He said that his son has recovered after the transplant. “He contracted COVID-19 last year and we were worried, but he has recovered well,” said padmavati, who were present for the launch of the centre.
While the patient’s families bear 10% of the cost, the rest was sponsored by Sankalp. Some of the beneficiaries are from other states. Statistics show that every five minutes in India, one person is diagnosed with blood cancer or other blood disorders. With over 42 million patients, India is known as the Thalassemia capital of the world. While the demand for bone marrow transplants is high, there are few facilities that provide them.
“We will be able to treat around 120 children at the center every year,” said Lalit Palmar, president of Sankalp India Foundation. “With some of the best infrastructure, along with highly trained experts and a dedicated team of expert international visiting consultants, will ensure that we deliver the best possible clinical outcomes for our patients. This center, along with one in Ahmedabad , will take the total number of beds available for transplantation to 14, thus enabling us to move forward in achieving our goal of a Thalassemia free India.”
Sankalp India Foundation, an NGO that helped arrange blood transfusions for Thalassemia patients especially during the pandemic, has now taken a leap by setting up a BMT center and laboratory at Bhagwan Mahaveer Jain Hospital. The new BMT unit worth Rs 5.5 crore was funded by DKMS, Deutsche Nauchenmarkspenderdeti or the German Bone Marrow Donor Centre.
Bone marrow transplant is the only permanent solution for Thalassemia and a transplant procedure costs more than Rs 20 lakhs. Sankalp has already conducted bone marrow transplants for 15 children.
Padmavati, mother of a seven-year-old who underwent a bone marrow transplant two years ago with the help of Sankalp Foundation, said, “The foundation helped end my son’s years of pain and suffering. He was diagnosed with thalassemia at the age of one and was in and out of the hospital for frequent blood transfusions from then until his transplant.
He said that his son has recovered after the transplant. “He contracted COVID-19 last year and we were worried, but he has recovered well,” said padmavati, who were present for the launch of the centre.
While the patient’s families bear 10% of the cost, the rest was sponsored by Sankalp. Some of the beneficiaries are from other states. Statistics show that every five minutes in India, one person is diagnosed with blood cancer or other blood disorders. With over 42 million patients, India is known as the Thalassemia capital of the world. While the demand for bone marrow transplants is high, there are few facilities that provide them.
“We will be able to treat around 120 children at the center every year,” said Lalit Palmar, president of Sankalp India Foundation. “With some of the best infrastructure, along with highly trained experts and a dedicated team of expert international visiting consultants, will ensure that we deliver the best possible clinical outcomes for our patients. This center, along with one in Ahmedabad , will take the total number of beds available for transplantation to 14, thus enabling us to move forward in achieving our goal of a Thalassemia free India.”
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