Over 300 stem cell donors were felicitated on Friday for saving lives in the past eight years.
The donors were honoured by Datri, India’s largest stem cell donors’ registry, which was established in 2009 by Raghu Rajagopal. Datri has been working to spread awareness of stem cell donations through camps in educational institutions, corporates and residential areas.
Sethukarasi. S, head of operations, Datri, said, “Three hundred donations is indeed a great achievement for us. We also now have 2,90,000 registered voluntary donors. We have come a long way from the time when we were struggling to find our first donor with a one-man army. Now we have a team of dedicated professionals who work day and night to ensure every donor is a life-saver.”
Dr. Niranjan N. Rathod, associate director and head of department, Haemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow transplant, Nanavati Super Speciality Hospital, said: “We have a huge number of patients suffering from blood cancer and thalassemia. For most of them, a blood stem cell transplant is the last option. For patients who cannot find a match within their family, registries like Datri are their only hope. A patient has only 25% chance of finding a match from amongst family members.”
‘A happy moment’
Sachin Hampatt, a donor, said, “I am glad that I have been a part for this wonderful cause. When I registered for the donation, I was scared and nervous. But when I received a call saying that my cells have found a match, it was really a happy moment for me. I recommend all citizens to sign up for this cause and give life to someone who is in need.”
Bhavna Khatri, another donor, said, “Donating blood stem cells is one of the noble causes we can be part of in our lifetime. It is a privilege to become part of changing someone’s life. I gained this opportunity by donating my blood stem cells.”
