Trending Now
- IPL 2024 begins with a bang. First contest between CSK and RCB.
- Election commission allots mike symbol to Naam Thamizhar Katchi
- AIADMK promises to urge for AIIMS in Coimbatore, in its election manifesto.
- Ponmudi becomes higher education minister.
Coimbatore
Celebrating the true spirit of giving
June 7, 2018
COIMBATORE: In an act of celebrating the ‘Spirit of giving’, stem cell donors in and around Coimbatore were felicitated by DATRI, an adult unrelated blood stem cell donors registry , and PSG Institute of Medical Sciences here on Thursday.
Speaking at the function, Dr. Ramalingam, Dean of PSG Institute of Medical Sciences hoped the event would encourage many students to register themselves as donors.
The six donors – Anthony Robins, Satheesh Kumar Viswanathan, Kannan, Nandha Kumar, Subramani and Dhamodharan S – all young professionals have donated their stem cells to unknown recipients in the last three years through DATRI.
Anthony Robins met with his recipient, a seven-year-old boy who had Pure Red Cell Aplasia during the event, said the press release.
ALSO READ : Coimbatore housemaid leaps to international fame in a year, needs support to run in Spain
For patients suffering from fatal blood disorders such as blood cancer, a blood stem cell is the only hope. The probability of finding a matched blood stem cell donor is one in 10,000 to one in over a million at times, the release added.
“If you think we are doing something new, you are wrong”, said Raghu Rajagopal, Co-founder and CEO of DATRI. “The first registry was created in 1973. We were 36 years late when we started the registry in 2009.” Explaining the process of registration, he said the people should submit an application and a sample of cheek swab. “If and when a match is found, the donor can choose to donate or not. With higher number of volunteer donors from the region there are higher chances of saving lives,” he added.
DATRI is one of the largest adult unrelated stem cell donor registry in the country. They have over 3,47,000 registered volunteer donors, out of which 5,590 are from Coimbatore.
