Every year on May 8th, International Thalassaemia Day commemorates thalassaemia patients who are no longer with us. It’s also a day to celebrate the patients that are alive and fighting for a better quality of life.
Thalassaemia is a genetic hemoglobin disorder. Hemoglobin is the iron-rich protein found in red blood cells. The function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen to the blood. A person with thalassaemia has less than normal amounts of hemoglobin. This can make life very difficult, as it usually requires multiple blood transfusions. Some people with the disease need a blood transfusion every two weeks.
Thalassaemia causes a variety of symptoms in the body. Some of these symptoms include anemia, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, increased risk of infections, and abdominal swelling. Some people with thalassaemia also have too much iron in their system. When the body has too much iron, it can damage the heart and liver.
Children with this condition often experience a failure to thrive. This means they grow slowly. Children with thalassaemia might also have skull bones that are not shaped normally. For most children, these symptoms show up within the first two years of life.
The president and founder of TIF, Panos Englezos, established International Thalassaemia Day in 1994. He created the day in memory of his son, George, who lost his life to thalassaemia.
This year 2022's theme "Addressing Health Inequalities Across the Global Thalassaemia Community".
Source: https://nationaldaycalendar.com
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