——————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Story #28 of 50 days, 50 Stories Campaign
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The gift of life is the most treasured gift one could ever give. Modern medicine has done a miracle in finding a permanent cure for patients with several acquired and inherited malignant and non-malignant disorders, in the form of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT). Registries such as DATRI are rendering an impressive service by recruiting blood stem cell donors and connecting them with the patients in need.
The interesting aspect of being a donor of blood stem cells is not just one can be a savior for someone by gifting a life but also can adopt several corrective measures to improve one’s own lifestyle, which will yield long-term benefits on their holistic health.
Having associated with DATRI as a Medical Director, I assess the health condition of the donors based on their health check-up reports. The examination of the medical reports of a sample group of donors has revealed that around 68% have Vitamin D deficiency, 51% are deficient in vitamin B12, almost 9% have iron deficiency and 8% suffer from fatty liver. This clearly shows the impact of their lifestyle on their health. Less exposure to sunlight, intake of food which is deficient in essential nutrients, lack of leisure, and lack of work-life balance are some of the causes. Bringing a few positive changes in terms of taking a balanced diet, turning away from a closed-door culture, and connecting with nature, a regular exercise regime can result in remarkable improvements.
Upkeep of good health is essential especially for a donor of Blood Stem Cells, since micronutrients such as vitamins, dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids, play a vital role in the efficient yield of Blood Stem Cells. Therefore, the donors are also prescribed and provided with nutrition supplement medication, which will benefit both the donors and the process of donation. Therefore by being a donor and gifting a life, one is receiving a return gift of an opportunity to know one’s own status of health and improve the same.
About DATRI:
DATRI is a Not-for-Profit organization founded in 2009 with a mission to save lives of those suffering from life-threatening Fatal blood disorders like Blood Cancer, Thalassemia, Leukemia, Aplastic Anemia, Sickle Cell Anaemia, etc.
DATRI is registered with the Government of India as a Section 8 organization, and all monetary contributions towards DATRI are subject to 80G exemptions
ACT NOW. GIFT A LIFE