Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: A poignant reunion unfolded on Tuesday as 10-year-old Pratham Tulsiyani, who triumphed over thalassemia after battling it for years, came face-to-face with his saviour. The young boy from Bikaner met 35-year-old Rohit Lakhmani from Kanpur, whose stem cell donation gave him a new lease of life.The meeting was marked by profound gratitude and a deep connection that transcended verbal expression. Pratham regards Rohit not just as his saviour, but his “super hero” too, as he no longer requires blood transfusions and can now actively engage in cricket, an activity he previously found too exhausting.Lakhmani, employed as a pharmaceutical management consultant, enlisted with DKMS Foundation India after watching the film “The Sky is Pink”, which depicts a family’s struggles with their child’s serious medical condition. DKMS Foundation India operates as a non-profit organisation dedicated to fighting blood cancer and related disorders.Thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder, causes insufficient haemoglobin production, resulting in anaemia, fatigue and serious health issues. Stem cell transplantation offers thalassemia patients a potential cure by replacing defective blood-forming cells with healthy ones from donors.Pratham’s mother Pinky told TOI that he was diagnosed with thalassemia when he was seven months old. His symptoms included a white shining face and fever. Initial medical consultation indicated anaemia, but when conditions persisted, further testing revealed his ‘thalassemia major’ status. The parents also discovered their ‘thalassemia minor’ condition during these tests.Pinky said she was unaware of their condition, especially since her two elder sons, now 22 and 20, were healthy. Pratham’s father Vijay, a businessman, said his son endured regular blood transfusions early in life. They spent seven years searching for a suitable stem cell donor, maintaining their optimism.Their breakthrough came on Pinky’s birthday in 2022, when the couple learned about a perfect match through DKMS Foundation India. Pinky called it her “best birthday present”. “The stem cell transplant took place in Sept that year, with positive results,” she said.Rohit said he was inspired by a film featuring information about DKMS and registered during the Covid-19 pandemic. After online registration and submitting a home swab kit, he was identified as Pratham’s match eight months later. “Seeing Pratham smile in person was overwhelming,” Rohit said after meeting him in Delhi. “I feel proud to have helped in this small but meaningful way.”Dr Mithun Abraham Prakash, assistant professor, department of haematology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, who treated Pratham, said thalassemia management improves with early diagnosis and appropriate medical care.Dr Esha Kaul, director of hematology, hemato-oncology, BMT at Max Super Specialty Hospital, Vaishali, explained that while blood transfusions provide temporary relief, stem cell transplantation offers a permanent solution. She noted Pratham’s blood group changed from A positive to O positive after the transplant.Patrick Paul, chairman, DKMS India, said their registry includes more than 2 lakh donors, with 185 successful stem cell donations. He said potential donors must be healthy adults aged 18-55. Registration involves completing a consent form and providing cheek swabs for HLA testing. Approved donors join an international database anonymously. Interested individuals can request home swab kits through the website to participate in the life-saving initiative.
Mayank Rawat
