Ø A simple
college registration leads to a life-saving stem cell match and an emotional
first meeting between donor Dilip K. and 12-year-old thalassaemia patient
Sameeksha
Bengaluru: In a deeply emotional moment, ahead of World
Thalassaemia Day, 12-year-old Sameeksha, a thalassaemia patient, met the man
who gave her a second chance at life — her stem cell donor, Dilip K., a
27-year-old IT professional from Kolar, Karnataka. Marking this
special occasion, DKMS announced free HLA typing for all children below 12
years of age in India who are suffering from transfusion-dependent
thalassaemia.
This initiative aims to improve access
to stem cell transplantation and offer hope to thousands of young patients
awaiting a matching donor. The announcement was made during the emotional meet
between Dilip K. and Sameeksha, a beneficiary of the DKMS program, highlighting
the life-changing impact of stem cell donation and the urgent need to expand
the donor registry in India.
“I didn’t
think much of it when I registered,” said Dilip. “She is so full of life. Until
now, she was just a match on paper. Meeting her today makes everything real.”
Since Sameeksha’s parents could not afford the costs
related to her treatment, DKMS also helped them financially to access stem cell
transplant. Under the DKMS Patient Funding partial financial support for stem
cell transplant is offered to patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in
India when financial resources, including government and other funding support,
may not be sufficient to cover all expenses. Efforts of this program have
illuminated the path towards a brighter future for many patients, providing
them with the promise of a healthier life.
Both met for
the first time recently, in the days leading up to World Thalassaemia Day. The
meeting was filled with quiet emotion as two lives, once connected only by a
genetic match, finally came face to face.
Despite her
condition, Sameeksha grew up with quiet resilience and hope.
“I feel happy
now. I can play and go to school like other children,” said Sameeksha, smiling.
“We waited and
hoped for years for a donor. There were moments when it felt uncertain, but we
never gave up. Meeting him today is something we had only imagined,” said
Sameeksha’s father.
Patrick Paul,
Executive Chairman, DKMS Foundation India, said,“ In India, patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face
substantial challenges in accessing high-end treatment for life-threatening
diseases like blood cancer and other blood disorders due to the enormous costs
involved. Guidance on treatment options and potential sources of financial
support are the most critical factors affecting access to treatment in India.
The DKMS Access To Transplant program aims to remove this barrier to the life-saving
treatment as in Sameeksha’s case. Efforts of this program have illuminated the
path towards a brighter future for many patients like Sameeksha, providing them
with the promise of a healthier life.
Highlighting
the need to improve access and reduce barriers to stem cell transplantation,
especially for thalassaemia patients, Dr. Elke Neujahr, Global CEO, DKMS
Group, said, “DKMS Foundation India’s Thalassaemia Program is designed to
address critical gaps in affordability and access that often prevent patients
from receiving curative treatment. Through initiatives such as free HLA typing
for children below 12 years suffering from transfusion-dependent beta
thalassaemia in India, we aim to ease the burden on families navigating the
transplant journey.”
Under
this programme, DKMS partners with like-minded NGOs and transplant centres to
support thalassaemia patients through awareness and screening camps across the
country. These camps often see participation from families travelling long
distances, including from remote regions of India. During the camps, patients,
along with their parents and siblings, provide buccal swab samples for HLA
typing to identify potential family donors. The samples are analysed at DKMS
laboratories, and clinical matching reports are shared with the families. In
cases where no suitable match is found within the family, DKMS further supports
patients by facilitating free unrelated donor searches.
“When
Sameeksha first came to us, she was just a few months old, too young to
understand what lay ahead, yet full of a spirit that was evident to everyone
caring for her. She was diagnosed with beta thalassaemia major early, which
allowed us to manage her condition with the right interventions. However, a
stem cell transplant remained her only curative option. Finding a matched
unrelated donor for a child is never guaranteed, and when Dilip’s match came
through, it was a moment of immense relief for our entire team. Sameeksha’s
journey shows what is possible when early diagnosis is supported by timely
medical care and when someone, somewhere, chooses to register, said Dr.
Siddhesh Kalantri, consultant Haematologist, Stem Cell Transplant Physician, BloodCare
Hematology Clinic & Diagnostic Centre.
India
sees over 10,000 children born with thalassaemia each year. While regular blood
transfusions remain a lifeline for many, a stem cell transplant is often the
only cure. However, only a small percentage of patients are able to find a
matched unrelated donor, and availability remains limited, particularly within
Indian populations.
Sameeksha’s
journey stands as a reminder of what is possible when awareness, timely
intervention, and a willing donor come together. What began as a simple college
registration has today become a life-changing story of hope.
To
register as a potential stem cell donor, one must be a healthy adult between 18
and 55 years of age. Registration requires filling up a simple consent form. A
swab of the inside of the cheeks is taken to collect the tissue cells, which
are then sent to a lab to be analysed for HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen). The
potential donor is then listed anonymously on the international search platform
for matching stem cell donors. Eligible individuals can register as blood stem
cell donors by ordering a home swab kit at https://www.dkms-india.org/register-now and join the movement to save lives.