8th May is celebrated as International Thalassemia Day worldwide. We celebrate not only awareness but also the courage, resilience, and hope of the warriors and their families. Thalassemia is not just a medical condition; it is a lifelong journey for thousands of children and families. Behind every blood transfusion is a warrior fighting with strength and determination every single day. This year, 8th May was celebrated by TSPC with great enthusiasm.
The day began with a rally of all blood bank staff and volunteers from Sahyadri Hospital, Pune, to the IMA Hall, Pune. They carried drums and placards showing awareness while shouting slogans like, “Let’s make Thalassemia Free India.” We had over 150 participants from various hospitals, blood banks, and Thalassemia warriors. It was a nice feeling to have warriors commute by chariot. At IMA hall, we had celebration with cake cutting by our warriors and followed by Breakfast. After that, a half-day CME was arranged where doctors spoke about Thalassemia Care, new innovations and exchanging ideas to improve the quality of life for Thalassemia warriors.
The TSPC team then took a Metro ride with officials from the Rotary Club Pune Central. A poster displaying Thalassemia awareness and encouraging HBA2 testing is displayed in all Metro trains for the entire month of May. Dr. Nita Munshi, TSPC President, discussed the importance of Thalassemia testing with commuters in the Metro Trains.
The evening was full of energy with a great musical program: Retro to Metro by Melody Makers. This was a great opportunity to build Thalassemia awareness and allow our warriors to enjoy the moment.
As part of TSPC’s efforts to promote Thalassemia awareness, Radio Red FM played the interview of Dr Nita Munshi, President of TSPC, with RJ Sangram throughout the day. We advertised Thalassemia prevention at Pune airport, on Pune Metro trains, and we also placed standees in public places like gardens. Ruby Hall Clinic displayed a video recording of Dr Nita Munshi discussing Thalassemia and its awareness on all their screens. We also received great press coverage, with all leading newspapers writing about Thalassemia and the work done by TSPC in Pune district.
As part of ‘Bring Thal to Light’ initiative, TSPC collaborated with Ruby Hall Clinic Hospital, which lit up its buildings in RED, as red was the sign of awareness globally.
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