The “Save The Sibling” initiative, conceived and supported by Cordlife India, was launched on 14 Nov 2022 to assist families affected by severe thalassemia through advanced stem‑cell therapy using cord‑blood banking.
The first successful case under the programme involved a 7‑year‑old boy, Akshoy Sarker Dhrubo, diagnosed with Hb E beta‑thalassemia, who had been dependent on regular blood transfusions that caused dangerous iron overload.
Because no fully matched family donor was available, the family underwent a specially designed IVF procedure with advanced genetic testing, overseen by Dr. Rajeev Agarwal and his team, to ensure the newborn would be a perfect stem‑cell match for the elder brother.
The baby, named Aradhya, was born; cord blood was collected from the newborn’s umbilical cord and cryogenically preserved by Cordlife India.
The mother, Mrs. Madhabi Rani, also donated stem cells as a half‑matched donor under the treatment of Dr. Joydeep Chakrabarty and his medical team.
Doctors performed a combined stem‑cell transplant using both the mother’s stem cells and the newborn sibling’s cord‑blood stem cells.
Post‑treatment, the child recovered fully, no longer requires blood transfusions, and is now stable and healthy.
A significant portion of the IVF, cord‑blood preservation, and transplantation expenses was funded through Cordlife India’s “Save The Sibling” initiative, underscoring the financial support component of the programme.
The successful outcome highlights the growing importance of cord‑blood banking as a valuable biological resource for life‑saving treatments and demonstrates how preserving a newborn’s stem cells can provide future therapeutic options for families.
For further information, contact Dr. Prosanto Chowdhury at 9830055287 or visit the Cordlife India website and social media pages.
