Every year, May 8th is celebrated as World Thalassemia Day to educate people, support patients, and honor the efforts of medical professionals. Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that affects millions of people around the globe. This disorder is common in people from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Mediterranean countries. Thalassemia Awareness Day is celebrated to ensure equal access to treatment for all thalassemia patients. In this blog, we will learn about the Thalassemia day theme, history and importance, along with some key details about Thalassemia. Let’s begin!

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World Thalassemia Day Theme, History, and Importance

The World Thalassemia Day theme for the year 2024 is ‘Empowering Lives, Embracing Progress: Equitable and Accessible Thalassemia Treatment for All.’

The theme for Thalassemia Awareness Day this year focuses on:

– Providing equal access to all advanced treatment options irrespective of their location and status.
– Providing affordable therapies, medication, and care to all people suffering from thalassemia.
– To spread awareness about thalassemia care and prevention.
– To ask governments to increase investment in research for better treatment options.

History

The Thalassemia International Federation (TIF), a non-profit organization founded by Mr. Panos, established and organized World Thalassemia Day for the first time in 1994. This day was organized in memory of George, the son of Mr. Panos, who died due to thalassemia.

Importance

World Thalassemia Day plays an important role in:

– Educating people about the causes and symptoms of thalassemia and the prevention of it.
– Raising awareness about the challenges and needs of the people suffering from thalassemia.
– Providing economic support to the patients and their families in dealing with the disorder.
– Promoting research in gene or stem cell therapy and bone marrow transplants as potential cures for this blood disorder.

Knowing Thalassemia

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder that is passed from parents to children.

This disorder is caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin-producing cells of the DNA. As a result, the body does not produce enough proteins to make hemoglobin, and the blood has reduced levels of hemoglobin, affecting the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells.

Symptoms of Thalassemia

Thalassemia deprives body cells of oxygen and thus causes these symptoms:

– Fatigue
– Shortness of breath
– Low immunity
– Slow growth
– Bone deformities
– Pale skin
– Swelling in legs and abdomen

The symptoms may range from mild to severe, depending on the types of thalassemia.

Types of Thalassemia

Depending on the severity of the condition, thalassemia can be categorized as trait or minor and intermedia or major.

– People with thalassemia trait do not require any treatment and are asymptomatic. Such people are the carriers of the disorder and can pass the trait to their children. Their one gene is affected, which means they have one carrier parent and one normal parent.

– People with thalassemia intermedia have moderate symptoms and do not require any blood transfusions. Its symptoms include enlarged spleen, delayed growth, and weak bones.

– Major thalassemia is the most severe form and requires blood transfusions or stem cell transplants. It happens when a person has two mutated genes, one from each parent. Such people have bone deformities and fail to produce normal hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin is made of two proteins called alpha globin and beta globin. Depending on the production of these two proteins, thalassemia is classified into two types:

– Alpha Thalassemia happens when the production of alpha globin is affected by a gene mutation.
– Beta Thalassemia happens when the production of beta globin is affected by a gene mutation.

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