I live with a dual identity of a doctor and the patient of a much-maligned medical condition. I am an MBBS and MS in General Surgery from PGIMER Chandigarh, and am currently working as a Senior Resident in Neurosurgery at Fortis Hospital, Mohali, Punjab. However, I carry another identity — that of a thalassemia major patient, requiring bi-weekly blood transfusions and regular iron chelation.
Understanding thalassemia Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder, has been part of my family’s narrative. I am not the only one in my family to manage this condition; my elder sister, also a thalassemic. My sister and I both have managed successful careers despite the condition.
She has thrived as a senior accounts manager at an MNC after completing her MBA in Finance. Like other thalassemia patients, our journey in the Indian set-up is marked by unique challenges, which begin with having no or only a little awareness about the medical condition. There are economic barriers that hinder disease management.
It costs a good amount of money to go through the treatment protocols, which don’t end, ever. Fortunately, my parents have always been a pillar of support, encouraging us to never let our condition define our capabilities. The pain behind inspiration I am often told that my story is one of resilience and determination.
But I will, in short, tell what it means. As a thalassemic, I require two units of blood every two weeks and must undergo iron chelation, a part of which involves a 1.
