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Story #41 of 50 days, 50 Stories Campaign
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‘Cancer may have started the fight, but I will finish it’, is one of the brave quotes written by someone I had never met, but just spoke with on calls several times for 2 years from 2017 to 2019. Deepak Singh, a very courageous blood cancer patient, fought cancer with all his might, till the very end. He was battling the disease for many years. Got a transplant from his son, but since his son was only a half match for him, the transplant failed. He again got an autologous transplant, which means his own good cells were first extracted and transfused into him.
Blood Cancer is a ruthless disease, and every time Deepak would call to ask me to re-check whether he has a match or not, my heart would sink before telling him the truth. Blood Cancer and hundred other blood disorders are curable, but only upon find a HLA(genetic) matched blood stem cell donor. The probability to find a match for an Indian patient is one in ten thousand to one in a million.
It is an extremely rare match. In india DATRI is the largest blood stem cells donor’s registry with over 4.63 registered voluntary donors. But unfortunately not a single match for Deepak and many others suffering like him. Deepak Singh breathed his last in May 2019, trying to battle the disease. He was married with a 3-year-old son and was a doting father and a loving husband. He was working with one of the leading corporates of India and was doing well for himself, and leading a happy life till life took a full turn for him.
Being the second most populated country in the world, India has merely over 5 lakh registered blood stem cell donors. There is an urgent need to increase this number and as many Indians should register as voluntary blood stem cells donors, so that more and more lives of Blood Cancer, Thalassemia, and fatal blood disorder patients can be saved.
Blood stem cells donation is a completely safe and informed process similar to platelet and WBC donation, and there is no harm caused to the donor because of the process. Life can be saved by a noble act of yours. Register today and help save a life.
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
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About the Author:
Swati Prakash, Senior Associate with DATRI North India- handling counselling, donations and donor recruitment drives for the past 5 years