September 2026 | Vol 15 | Issue 09

For years, Waliullah’s family lived from one blood transfusion to the next. Then came a fully matched donor and a possible way out of thalassemia.

The news should have brought relief. Instead, it brought fear.

The youngest of 6, Waliullah was diagnosed when his parents were already around 50. Having struggled to accept regular transfusions, a bone marrow transplant felt overwhelming. “We had many doubts and fears. As parents, making this decision for our child was extremely difficult.”

“When Rashiddhya, was diagnosed with thalassemia major at three-and-a-half months, we were terrified. We thought everything was over,” recalls her mother from Akola.

During pregnancy, she had undergone every test advised, yet no one explained that thalassemia could be a possibility or that screening could reveal the risk. Looking back, she speaks with painful honesty:

For many families, the road to BMT begins with long journeys, even before a patient is ready for transplant. Sankalp’s first Remote OPD at Jamnagar is changing that first step.

Ten families were evaluated and supported with laboratory investigations and medicines, helping the team understand what each patient needs next.

Bosch Global Software Technologies

Sankalp’s association with Bosch began with a blood donation camp on 21st March 2013. Since then, 69 camps have collected 8,665 units of blood.

After a 1.5-year pause, an MoU helped restart the partnership. In the past year, six camps across Bosch locations collected 721 units.

What turns awareness into action? Sometimes, it is the chance to understand a cause up close. During a Goodera coordinated visit on 20th August, the Flipkart team learnt about thalassemia, Sankalp’s Cure and Prevention Programmes, and why voluntary blood donation matters.

Time with the children made it personal.

Before the day ended, nine volunteers had stepped forward to donate blood. One participant put the feeling into words:

What does freedom feel like to a child?

At Sankalp Blood Centre, it looked like flag hoisting, dancing, songs, quizzes, drawings and a meal shared by children, mothers and the team.

Amid the excitement, one child smiled and said, “The celebration here at Sankalp is better than school!” It was an innocent way of saying just how much the day had been enjoyed.

More than an Independence Day programme, it became a warm memory created together through music, laughter and the simple joy of belonging.

How do you celebrate someone who has spent years guiding and strengthening others?

By allowing that goodness to travel further.

For Ajith Sankaran’s 53rd birthday, his former student, Silky Rout, honoured him with a contribution towards Sankalp’s thalassemia prevention work. Her contribution will help 88 families receive screening, giving them the opportunity to understand their risk early and make informed choices for their children’s future.

Some dates sit quietly on a calendar. Others slowly take over every conversation, every preparation and every thought.

For us, 5th September has become the latter. Years of work, many hands and stories from across the country are quietly coming together. What awaits us that day, we will leave for the moment itself.

For now, there is excitement, gratitude and the nervous energy that comes before something deeply important. The final details are falling into place, the team is ready, and the wait is almost over.

Within two years, Hue Central Hospital completed 20 successful bone marrow transplants, with all the children doing well, a milestone offering hope to many more families.

Representing Sankalp, Dr Mohan Reddy and Rajat Kumar Agarwal travelled to Hue, Vietnam, for the 2nd International Thalassemia Conference celebrating this achievement.

When a Child Undergoes a Transplant, How Does a Family Know Every Step Is Safe?

Most parents preparing their child for a bone marrow transplant may never have heard of JACIE. But they know the fears behind it: Is every step safe? Is the laboratory following the right processes? Is the team prepared for infections and complications?