International Thalassaemia Day

Every year, May 8 is celebrated as the International Thalassaemia Day.

What is Thalassaemia?

Thalassaemia is a term used to describe a set of diseases that belong to a larger group, the anaemias. When someone has anaemia, his body cannot produce enough normal red blood cells, which are cells that carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the whole body. They flow in the blood stream and give it its red color. Thalassaemias are hereditary diseases, meaning that they are caused by problems within our genetic make-up, and not because of nutrition or other  environmental factors, and are passed on to children from their two parents – both mother and father. What is at fault in thalassaemia is a change in the haemoglobin molecule, a protein found within each red cell, responsible for carrying oxygen to tissues and organs.

There are different types of thalassaemia, some of which require more demanding therapy than others. In any case, patients with thalassaemia must be followed by healthcare professional experts in specialized centers throughout their lifetime to have the best possible health outcomes.

Theme for 2023

The theme of the event this year is “Strengthening Education to Bridge the Thalassaemia Care Gap”.

By maximizing the knowledge and skills of every person affected by thalassaemia and the people who care for them, we can achieve positive changes in health behaviours, health outcomes and quality of life, and reduce the disease burden for patients and the society.

Source : Thalassaemia International Federation