My name is Manvir Singh. I live in the district town of Bulandsheher of Uttar Pradesh state in India, 100 kms from the capital city of India, Delhi. For 8 years now I have been travelling to and fro from Delhi every 15 days. Though it is taxing and my work suffers as a result, this is a journey I cannot forgo.

8 years old Sivani depends on the IRCS NHQ BloodBank

My daughter Sivani, born 19th September, 2005 is a Thalassemia major. Ever since she was 6 months old, Sivani’s blood needs to be transfused every fortnight, as it lacks the ability to produce normal, adult haemoglobin. She experiences chronic fatigue, and I know there exists a chance that she may fail to thrive. The Indian Red Cross Society came as a blessing in Sivani’s life. The Blood Bank at the National Headquarters, Delhi provides her blood free of cost and without replacement and has been doing so since she was six months old, which I then get transfused in Sivani at a Government hospital.

Only God knows what I would have done to ensure my child’s health if it had not been for the Red Cross Society. 50 percent of Delhi’s Thalassemia patients, 1000 in number, are registered with the IRCS Blood Bank for free. 200 patients registered here travel from far flung areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

Blood components being segregated at the IRCS NHQ BloodBank

Two major consequences of the genetic defect of thalassemia are severe anemia and expansion of the bone marrow in the body’s effort to produce more red blood cells. This leads to poor growth, impaired physical activities, facial and other bone deformities, fragile bones and enlargement of the liver and spleen. If left untreated, it will lead to death within the first decade of life. The only treatment to combat severe anemia is regular blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy.

Bhavnaben

Hiral

Sivani

Jeevan