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When is World Thalassemia Day?
May 8 is celebrated and observed as World Thalassemia Day. The day is celebrated to spread awareness about Thalassemia as a disorder and to educate individuals to help in spreading the curb.
The day also honours the life of individuals who are living with Thalassemia while also dealing with the social stigma attached, while also honouring the efforts of doctors and medical professionals to help the patients and bring advancements. Thalassemia Day also aims to debunk myths related to this disorder and aims to help the patients lead a normal life.
What is Thalassemia?
Thalassemia is a blood disorder inherited by children from their parents. In this disease, the ability of an individual's body to produce haemoglobin and the red blood cells is affected severely. There are different types of Thalassemia and the treatment of this disease depends upon the type and severity. The impact of this disease can range from mild to severe to life-threatening in some cases.
World Thalassemia Day came into existence in 1994 after the Thalassemia International Federation (TIF) designated May 8 as International Thalassemia Day. The day was celebrated to honour the life of George Englezos and all the other Thalassemia patients who worked fought this disease. George Englezos was the son of Thalassemia International Federation's founder Panos Englezos.
World Thalassemia Day theme
Each year, World Thalassemia Day is celebrated with a different theme that aims to educate youngsters to get themselves tested before they plan for a child. It is even recommended to get prenatal testing done for your children in order to give them the right treatment based on the severity.
Events and activities are organized in several public places and educational institutes across the world to address the misconceptions related to Thalassemia. Along with TIF's efforts, other health bodies like World Health Organization also highlight the rights of the patients while addressing the concerns related to this disorder.
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