Miracle match: 17-year-old Indian stem cell beneficiary finds unlikely donor in Russian kickboxer
The bone marrow transplant event was coordinated by DKMS, a global organization focused on spreading awareness about stem cell transplantation with the Bangalore Medical Services Trust
The probability of a man from Russia being a genetic match for a boy from India for a bone marrow transplant is extremely low. However, despite the odds, 17-year-old Thalassemia patient Chirag discovered his lifesaver in Roman Simnizki, a 29-year-old Russian.
“Blood stem cell donation is still in its infancy in India, with just over a lakh donors. For Indian Thalassemia patients, the chances of finding a match range from 5 to 10 per cent. What happened in Chirag’s case is almost a miracle,” said Dr Bhat, director and clinical lead, paediatric haematology, oncology and blood and marrow transplantation, Narayana Group of Hospitals.
The bone marrow transplant was coordinated by DKMS, a global organization focused on spreading awareness about stem cell transplantation with the Bangalore Medical Services Trust (BMST).
Chirag and his donor, Roman Simnizki, met for the first time during the 2016 transplantation. “Roman didn’t just donate stem cells; he gave me a future,” Chirag said, expressing his gratitude to Roman Simnizki. He said he felt like a completely new person after his transplantation. “I feel normal, no more tired. I play and work like every other person.”
For Simnizki, a world-champion kickboxer, it is a decision he will never regret. “There’s no greater joy than knowing you’ve helped someone in need. Seeing Chirag healthy and full of life is the biggest reward,” Simnizki said.
Simnizki shared that his decision to enroll as a donor happened by chance. “I usually donate blood and was approached for stem cell donation during one such instance. I thought, why not? Later, I was informed that I found my match in India…” said Simnizki.
India sees 10,000 to 30,000 new Thalassemia patients every year. “The donor base offers good choices for Caucasians, but for Indians, it’s still a struggle as finding a donor depends on ethnicity…” said Nitin Agarwal, head of donor request management at DKMS-BMST Foundation India.
“Since there are no real risks in the procedure, there are also no additional legal requirements. It costs about ₹20 lakh to ₹25 lakh for the procedure in India, almost a fraction of what it costs outside India. So, the real need right now is to build up a base of donors to meet the demand from Thalassemia patients…” opines Dr Bhat, director and clinical lead at Narayana Group of Hospitals.
(With PTI inputs)
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