She swapped her blood group to beat thalassaemia

HER BLOOD group changed and so did her life. No one in Komal Soni’s family had even heard of thalassaemia, till she was diagnosed with it. Komal was only six months old when she was diagnosed with the blood disorder that’s passed down through families. In this disorder, the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin, the protein in the blood that carries oxygen. Though it is a genetic disorder, her father Mahesh Soni says that no on else in the family had the problem. The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells leading to anaemia. Every year, at least 10,000 children are born with thalassaemia major in India and many of them have to go through never- ending blood transfusions lifelong. In Sonis’ case, they took their daughter for weekly sessions of blood transfusion which continued till she was 10. “ When we saw her, she was very anaemic and needed frequent transfusions,” says Dr S P Yadav, bone marrow transplant physician, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. The whole deal of weekly blood transfusions was getting onto Komal. She threw regular tantrums and was turning weaker by the day. Mahesh was depressed too. “ I just couldn’t take it. I was tired with those endless hospital visits,” he says. Finally the Sonis were given the option of stem cell transplant. But it was possible only if the stem cell type matched with a sibling as finding a unrelated donor was a challenge. Luckily Komal’s stem cells matched with her elder brother’s. Doctors cured her by transplanting his stem cells onto her. Though the treatment cost the family Rs 5- 6 lakhs, it has improved the situation hugely. “ It was the last option. Lest, the girl would have to opt for blood transfusions lifelong,” says Dr Yadav. Every year 10,000 kids are born with a disease called thalassaemia that requires lifelong blood transfusions