Former lefty Suresh Raina comes forward to support blood cancer patients

Kolkata:After representing India for over 13 years, former cricketer Suresh Raina known for his aggressive batting and excellent fielding skills has come forward to raise awareness about the growing burden of blood cancer in India.

He has joined hands with DKMS BMST Foundation India, a non-profit organization dedicated to the fight against blood cancer and other blood disorders such as Thalassemia and Aplastic Anemia.

India ranks third highest in reported cases of hematological cancers in the world with over 70 thousand people deaths per year and over 1 lakh people are diagnosed with a form of blood cancer or blood disorders. But these patients can get a second chance at life through a stem cell transplant.

After renowned celebrities like Vidya Balan, Rahul Dravid, and Sonu Sood, renowned cricketer Suresh Raina has shared a video appeal to raise awareness about the cause.In his video appeal, Suresh Raina has emphasized on the blood cancer burden in India that every 5 minutes someone is diagnosed with the condition. And most of the patients are young patients or children who fight these life-threatening diseases.

Our very own Chinnatala @ImRaina is the latest addition to our lifesaver squad! Every match he played is a challenge, and Suresh Raina knows all about that with his impeccable skill set on the field. Register today with #DKMS-BMST https://t.co/NNy51EgJCU#DKMS #TurnItAround pic.twitter.com/jaiTbXdn8P

— DKMS BMST Foundation India (@DKMS_BMST_in) March 12, 2021

Giving example of his personal experience Suresh Raina has talked about how he has learned to face challenges however, there is no greater challenge that one a family has to face when their loved one is diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.

Patrick Paul, CEO, DKMS-BMST said, “A true sportsperson never hesitates to come forward and help others, this has been proved by Mr. Suresh Raina, his sportsmanship is commendable. Many patients suffering from blood cancer and other blood disorders need a blood stem cell transplant to survive. Unfortunately, majority of patients are unable to receive a transplant due to the unavailability of a matching blood stem cell donor.”

This situation can only be changed when more and more people from different ethnicities in India are a part of the donor registry maintained by NGOs like DKMS-BMST. This can be done with a simple step of registering as a blood stem cell donor and give these patients a second chance at life.

Only about 30% of the patients in need of a blood stem cell transplant can find a sibling match. The rest 70% depend on finding a matching unrelated donor. Due to the lack of awareness about the treatment possibilities in India, it becomes difficult for Indian patients to find a matching blood stem cell donor.(UNI)