PUNE: Twenty-seven-year-old Arpan Samuel and his 16-year-old brother Ashish Samuel travel from Jabalpur to Pune every six months just for a day. Both are thalassaemia patients, for which they have been undergoing treatment in the city.
Ashish will appear for Standard X examinations from March 7 this year. He said that three days of travel does not disturb his study schedule. However, Arpan, a BTech graduate, has a different story. He said even after completing BTech in 2014, he has not been able to find a job as he is a thalassaemia major patient. He is now pursuing BEd in the hope of getting a stable job. Sharing his story, Arpan said that he finished his BTech at 25 in 2014.
“I was hoping to get a job as per my qualification. However, a job was offered but was not very well paid. The major reason was that I was a thalassaemia patient. So, after doing small work, my father, a retired railway official, suggested that I should do a Bachelor of Education (BEd) course. So, I took admission for the course. I am doing BEd from the past six months,” said Arpan. He added that the past four years have been very difficult. “I was diagnosed with thalassaemia at the age of eight years. However, with good treatment from doctors in Pune, I am off blood transfusion for the past two years. However, this financial difficulty is making things more challenging for me,” said Arpan.
Arpan was more hopeful for his 17-year-old brother Ashish.
Speaking to Sakal Times, Ashish said that he has prepared strategically for his Class X examination, which will start from March 7. However, these three days without studies do not make any difference in his motivation.
“We have to come to Pune once in every six months for the check-up. But these three days without studies do not deter me from preparing. I want to opt for biology after Class X because it is very interesting,” said Ashish.
The 17-year-old has been off blood transfusion for the past one year. “Earlier, I needed a blood transfusion every 15 days. Now, I am off blood transfusion for a year. I can fully concentrate on studies,” said Ashish.
DISORDER & TREATMENT
- Thalassaemia is a blood disorder inherited through families, in which the body makes an abnormal form or inadequate amount of haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen. The disorder results in large numbers of red blood cells being destroyed, which leads to anaemia.
- Speaking to Sakal Times, Dr Vijay Ramanan, a haematologist from the city, said that he had helped over 14,000 patients to take oral medicine over traditional blood transfusion. “Oral medication helps the patient of thalassaemia to lead a normal life. Many patients are doing wonderfully under this treatment,” said Ramanan.
