Every year on May 8, International Thalassemia Day is acknowledged, a genetic blood disorder in which a person has lower than usual oxygen-carrying protein. Want to know more about Thalassemia, then keep reading!
Thalassemia is caused by the mutation of sperm from either parent or deletion of a significant gene fragment. Under it, the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in red blood cells.
There are three forms of Thalassemia, ranging from minor to severe.
- Thalassemia minor
Under it, you suffer from mild anemia, i.e., a slight deficiency of hemoglobin.
- Alpha Thalassemia
Under it, the body produces lesser alpha chains and unstable beta chains that destroy red blood cells.
- Beta Thalassemia
Under it, there is either reduction or absence of beta chains from hemoglobin, resulting in severe anemia.
Anemia and Thalassemia go parallelly. Anemia is a disorder under which you don’t have enough red blood cells. The reason for the above condition is that Thalassemia destroys red blood cells in a body.
Although symptoms may vary, or sometimes symptoms might not show, there are few common symptoms of Thalassemia that can lead to anemia.
- Fatigue or weakness
- Slow growth and development
- Pale or yellow skin
- Shortness of breath
- Facial bone deformities
If you face the above symptoms, you should immediately consult with a doctor so that a routine blood test can be done in time to diagnose the disorder. Also, remember never to take medicines without a doctor’s prescription as it might lead to some other problem, which can risk your health.
Every year, Thalassemia International Federation organizes various programs, press releases, events, seminars, etc., to aware more and more people about the disease and take timely actions.
This year, the federation wants to bring equality to their community. Inequalities are not an issue only for them, but it has raised problems for the health sector overall. WHO is trying to mend these inequalities and bring harmony and justice for all in their campaign this year.
If you want to contribute towards the Thalassemia community, you can join the campaigns run by the federation on May 8 in its honor.
Thalassemia International Federation has also updated various ways on their website through which you can connect with them.
- You can join with them on their social media and share your stories or pictures with hashtags like #HealthyEquityMatters, #ThalHeros, #ITD2021, etc.
- You can also organize some activities or events in your society to aware people about it.
- You can also download campaign material from their website to make it more interactive and knowledgeable.
Participate actively in this year’s celebration and try to aware as many people as you can about Thalassemia and inequalities related to it.
