Forget Thalassaemia for a while, suppose you are a normal person going to the Paediatrician to get your child/new born vaccinated, will you not wish that you could take the vaccine shot instead of your child and your child would still be safe? I bet all of the parents will wish the same because no one would like to see their babies cry of the needle pain. Then why not take just 1 simple blood test that will not only save your own children but your generations to come from a life-long pain and suffering?

I understand that people have social limitations asking the bride/groom-to-be to get a blood test especially in case of girls. People come to me and say “Dunya walay kia kahain gay?” or “Agar hum nay bataya to hamari bachi kay rishtay aanay bund ho jain gay”.

Now the point to understand and explain here is that being a “Carrier” or “Thalassaemia Minor” is not something one should be ashamed of. It is NOT an infectious or contagious disease that can be passed on from one individual to another by personal or any other contact. It is NOT like HIV/Aids or any other STD. People with Thalassaemia Minor when married to normal people live a completely healthy and normal marital life. They do not cause any danger to the health of their partner nor do they transfer any traits or disease to them.

This might be a tough question to ask but trust me people it is so much easier than asking your friends and relatives for a bag of blood every month. It has far much less pain than seeing your child being injected by a pump for 10 hours every day. God forbid, if your child is born with Thalassaemia Major then no one from those “Dunya walay” of whom you are afraid of, will come to your help.

I know this because I am a father of a Thalassaemic and believe me people every time I see a needle being poked in my son’s arm, the needle goes straight to my heart even before it touches my son’s arm.

So please, please, please take this matter seriously and get yourself tested or later you may regret, like me, why didn’t anyone tell me before? This is an inexpensive test and there are some organizations that do it for free.

If you get yourself tested, your responsibility doesn’t end here. You must spread the word and give this knowledge to others and urge them to get themselves tested too.

Thanks for the heads up Ayesha

-Peace