Photo exhibition to spread awareness about Thalassemia patients

To create awareness about the Thalassemia patients in society The Wishing Factory (TWF) organises a photo story exhibition of the patients suffering from this disorder. Titled ‘Smiles despite everything’ the exhibition showcase the real pictures of the patients clicked by four students of St. Xavier photography students of Mumbai. They clicked the pictures as part of their project and show their pain and also gives a message to live life.

The Wishing Factory works with such patients and tries to bring smile on their faces. They make their wishes comes true and create awareness in the society about them. They also find donors for them who can donate blood and funds for the treatment. The exhibition is also in the lines of their continuos effort to help people suffering from the disorder.

“The photographs will talk about thalassemia patient’s life constraints, how they feel and get inspired to live a more meaningful life. The exhibition stands to create awareness in society, Feel the pain they feel. There are about 45 to 60 photographs displays in the exhibition which talks about the life story of the patients. The photographs are in such sequence that they tells about their stories, pain,” said Mansi Patel Deputy President Vadodara TWF.

The exhibition starts from July 1st and continue for two days till 2nd July at Mayfair Atrium, Atladara, Vadodara.

The exhibition also spread the message about the disorder. TWF set up help desks there at the exhibition center for the visitors to know about the patients and also the wish they fulfill for them.

Thalassemia Major is a Blood Disorder and not a disease (because usually people term it as a disease).
Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin.
So a patient having Thalassemia Major has to undergo transfusion (need to take blood from an external source periodically) just to survive. The transfusion frequency and duration depends upon his/her hemoglobin count (as soon as the count goes low, transfusion is required)

Average expected life of Thalassemia Major is upto around 25 years.
Thalassemia Major Patients are mainly found in underprivileged families (poor and uneducated families)

As we always say prevention is better than cure and for that, it is very important to identify the root/reason of the Disease/Disorder.

But in case of Thalassemia Major, this statement actually won’t work. You can’t prevent Thalassemia because they’re inherited (passed from parents to children through genes). However, Awareness and tests like prenatal tests can be very effective and can even detect these blood disorders before birth.

So it’s the parents i.e. Due to lack of their awareness and also sometimes because of poor examination by doctor, the child is born with this disorder with no prior intimation about his/her condition to the family.

SDE (smiles despite everything) is showcasing such life stories of patients and people working around them in the form of a photo-story exhibition along with lots of detailed information and facts on Thalassemia and Blood cancer.