Bengaluru : In a deeply emotional moment, ahead of World Thalassaemia Day, 12-year-old Sameeksha, a thalassaemia patient, met the man who gave her a second chance at life — her stem cell donor, Dilip K., a 27-year-old IT professional from Kolar, Karnataka. Marking this special occasion, DKMS announced free HLA typing for all children below 12 years of age in India who are suffering from transfusion-dependent thalassaemia.
This initiative aims to improve access to stem cell transplantation and offer hope to thousands of young patients awaiting a matching donor. The announcement was made during the emotional meet between Dilip K. and Sameeksha, a beneficiary of the DKMS program, highlighting the life-changing impact of stem cell donation and the urgent need to expand the donor registry in India.
“I didn’t think much of it when I registered,” said Dilip. “She is so full of life. Until now, she was just a match on paper. Meeting her today makes everything real.”
Since Sameeksha’s parents could not afford the costs related to her treatment, DKMS also helped them financially to access stem cell transplant. Under the DKMS Patient Funding partial financial support for stem cell transplant is offered to patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in India when financial resources, including government and other funding support, may not be sufficient to cover all expenses. Efforts of this program have illuminated the path towards a brighter future for many patients, providing them with the promise of a healthier life.
Both met for the first time recently, in the days leading up to World Thalassaemia Day. The meeting was filled with quiet emotion as two lives, once connected only by a genetic match, finally came face to face.
Despite her condition, Sameeksha grew up with quiet resilience and hope.
“I feel happy now. I can play and go to school like other children,” said Sameeksha, smiling.
“We waited and hoped for years for a donor. There were moments when it felt uncertain, but we never gave up. Meeting him today is something we had only imagined,” said Sameeksha’s father.
Patrick Paul, Executive Chairman, DKMS Foundation India, said,“ In India, patients from lower socioeconomic backgrounds face substantial challenges in accessing high-end treatment for life-threatening diseases like blood cancer and other blood disorders due to the enormous costs involved. Guidance on treatment options and potential sources of financial support are the most critical factors affecting access to treatment in India. The DKMS Access To Transplant program aims to remove this barrier to the life-saving treatment as in Sameeksha’s case. Efforts of this program have illuminated the path towards a brighter future for many patients like Sameeksha, providing them with the promise of a healthier life.
Highlighting the need to improve access and reduce barriers to stem cell transplantation, especially for thalassaemia patients, Dr. Elke Neujahr, Global CEO, DKMS Group, said, “DKMS Foundation India’s Thalassaemia Program is designed to address critical gaps in affordability and access that often prevent patients from receiving curative treatment. Through initiatives such as free HLA typing for children below 12 years suffering from transfusion-dependent beta thalassaemia in India, we aim to ease the burden on families navigating the transplant journey.”
Under this programme, DKMS partners with like-minded NGOs and transplant centres to support thalassaemia patients through awareness and screening camps across the country. These camps often see participation from families travelling long distances, including from remote regions of India. During the camps, patients, along with their parents and siblings, provide buccal swab samples for HLA typing to identify potential family donors. The samples are analysed at DKMS laboratories, and clinical matching reports are shared with the families. In cases where no suitable match is found within the family, DKMS further supports patients by facilitating free unrelated donor searches.
“When Sameeksha first came to us, she was just a few months old, too young to understand what lay ahead, yet full of a spirit that was evident to everyone caring for her. She was diagnosed with beta thalassaemia major early, which allowed us to manage her condition with the right interventions. However, a stem cell transplant remained her only curative option. Finding a matched unrelated donor for a child is never guaranteed, and when Dilip’s match came through, it was a moment of immense relief for our entire team. Sameeksha’s journey shows what is possible when early diagnosis is supported by timely medical care and when someone, somewhere, chooses to register, said Dr. Siddhesh Kalantri, consultant Haematologist, Stem Cell Transplant Physician, BloodCare Hematology Clinic & Diagnostic Centre.
India sees over 10,000 children born with thalassaemia each year. While regular blood transfusions remain a lifeline for many, a stem cell transplant is often the only cure. However, only a small percentage of patients are able to find a matched unrelated donor, and availability remains limited, particularly within Indian populations.
Sameeksha’s journey stands as a reminder of what is possible when awareness, timely intervention, and a willing donor come together. What began as a simple college registration has today become a life-changing story of hope.
To register as a potential stem cell donor, one must be a healthy adult between 18 and 55 years of age. Registration requires filling up a simple consent form. A swab of the inside of the cheeks is taken to collect the tissue cells, which are then sent to a lab to be analysed for HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen). The potential donor is then listed anonymously on the international search platform for matching stem cell donors. Eligible individuals can register as blood stem cell donors by ordering a home swab kit at https://www.dkms-india.org/register-now and join the movement to save lives.
