FAiTh in TIF Magazine =)

Alhamdulillah FAiTh [Fight Against Thalassemia] is gaining its place in people’s life, heart, mind and now it secured its position in TIF [Thalassemia International Federation] Magazine 🙂

FAiTh featured in TIF Mag

Please click on image for larger view

Thalassemia International Conference 2011

Dear Friends,

As many of you know FAiTh group – [Fight Against Thalassemia] has been engaged in arranging blood camps, awareness camps and free screening.

Thalassemia.com.pk is the only website in Pakistan about Thalassemia, which is updated and running successfully.

Since last year FAiTh is trying to attend every conference and seminar related to Thalassemia to represent Pakistan and Thalassemia patients of Pakistan.

International Conference is going to be held in May 2011 in Antalya – Turkey (details you can read on tif2011.org), I want FAiTh to attend and represent Pakistan!

But for that I need your support, I can’t do anything alone, need your contribution! 🙂

Contribute in it via ChipIn.com

-Ayesha Mehmood
Official Spokesperson
http://www.thalassemia.com.pk

Thalassemia: Learn something, will you?

Courtesy: tribune.com.pk

For over four years, Fight Against Thalassemia (FAiTh) has been trying to convey a simple message across to the government: to pass and implement a Pre-Marital Mandatory Tests Bill in the country. This is a simple request for a simple bill and a simple solution to highly complex problems that our society faces today.

Even though right now there are no government-based Thalassemia treatment centers, this situation will improve soon as there will soon be as many as seven Thalassemia treatment centers run by the Government of Pakistan. The exact date of when these centers will be setup however, only two G’s know: God, and Government.

FAiTh has attempted to utilize a myriad of media: from print to web-based, from television to spreading awareness on its own through the help of media owners. While FAiTh was busy with awareness campaigns, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly sent us a shocking, yet pleasant surprise: they passed the Pre-Marital Mandatory Tests Bill.

This was a cause for celebration! However, this overwhelming joy was quickly swept over by another question: When a conservative province like the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is progressive enough to pass the bill, why are the other provinces so reluctant?

The North West is a place where the men do not want anyone to see their female counter-parts. I salute them for passing the bill and giving other provinces what we call, “ghairat ka dose.”

And, just after a few short days, the Sindh Assembly gathered all of its courage, and passed the resolution as well! What a brilliant milestone!

This is all great! However, what the Punjab Assembly did comes as a big slap across the metaphorical faces of all the other Provincial Assemblies. I understand that I am going to be opposed with many objections after this post. Even as I wrote this, I came up with several queries myself, such as it will be an invasion of privacy or that more problems will be caused for girls and aged women who are still awaiting their match.

I am supporting this bill because of the medical check-up made necessary. This can surely help to put a full stop to the birth of 5,000 Thalassemic children every year. It is not the children, that shouldn’t be born. It is Thalassemia. I have mentioned in my earlier posts as well, that I am representing Thalassemia patients of Pakistan. I am their ambassador, and I speak for them when I assert that they will be happy with this new law.

Now, the National Assembly needs to get some ‘ghairat‘ and do their part: implement the law countrywide!

FAiTh & World Blood Donor Day!

What FAiTh did on World Blood Donor Day:

Sent this beautiful card to our awesome donors around the Pakistan

World Blood Donor Day

Sent thank you text to our lovely donors registered in our donor system:

Ref: Thalassemia.Com.PK
World Blood Donor Day
It is no doubt that blood is the vital need of all human beings. And this is most true for thalassemic patients.
From all the thalassemia community – Thank you for the blood that you donated 🙂 Thank you for the gift of life!

Wrote an article @ The Express Tribune
You can read it here: World Blood Donor Day: Thanking those who saves lives



Got ANOTHER shield for arranging blood camps for Fatimid Foundation Karachi

This couldn't have been possible without you Thank you donors!, FAiTh once again got a token of appreciation from Fatimid

Nothing could have been possible if YOU were not with us. Thank you so much for love, support, care & the gift of life – Blood. Thank you!

Fatimid & World Blood Donor Day!

Just like every year, Fatimid Foundation Karachi celebrated World Blood Donor Day today at Beach Luxury.

Fatimid has been celebrating Thalassemia Day, Hemophilia Day and World Blood Donor Day since few years. Celebration started at 8 pm with Tilawat-e-Quran, followed by Naat by a Hemophilia patient.

Welcome address was given by Dr. Waleed Bin Azhar (CEO – Fatimid Foundation), quiet an un-professional welcome address though, next was a speech by Thalassemia patient – Hina Zaheer, very well delivered.

Next on dice was Dr. Zahid Hasan Ansar (Provincial Programme Manager/Secretary Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority, Govt. of Sindh), though whatever he told is what we have been hearing from government, 7 new thalassemia centers going to be opened, but when.. that only God knows 🙂

After Dr. Zahid, Dr. Aieysha Humaira Khan (Hematologist, Fatimid Foundation) gave an over view on Blood Bank, how it works, how blood/platelets are being stored etc. She used power point presentation to give over view, quiet a bad impression – at least thats what I got.

After Dr. Aieysha, Lt. Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider (Chairman, Fatimid Foundation) were called up on dice, He mentioned about the ad published in today’s news paper by Dr. Zahid on World Blood Donor Day, importance of donation and benefits of it.

According to Gen. Moinuddin, Fatimid collected 56,000 bags of blood in 2009 BUT gave 96,000 in return to the Thalassemia patients and outsiders, he mentioned the day to day progress of Fatimid, today Fatimid has ISO certificate and the same lab machines like Aga Khan have.

He even appealed to the government to work on Thalassemia centers and on prevention bill, I hope they listen to him.

After Gen. Moinuddin, Mr. Yasin Malik was called up on dice for a speech, quiet a good opening he did, mentioned a lot of good work done by Gen. Moinuddin and other fellows, mentioned some of the future plans. May Allah help you sir!

After the speech, shields, token of appreciation was given to the people who regular donate blood or arrange blood camps for Fatimid.

FAiTh was among the people who arrange blood camps and got a sheild:

This couldn't have been possible without you 🙂 Thank you donors!, FAiTh once again got a token of appreciation from Fatimid

In the end Dr. Mushtaq Memon (Incharge Blood Management Dept, Fatimid Foundation) thanked everyone for their participation and attending 🙂

World Blood Donor Day!

World Blood Donor Day

FAiTh @ FM 107 on International Thalassemia Day!

Listen: FAiTh @ FM 107 on International Thalassemia Day!

Download: here

FAiTh on Geo Pakistan @ Geo News

FAiTh (Fight Against Thalassemia) was being invited on Geo Pakistan @ Geo News to speak on the occasion of World Thalassemia Day (8th May)

Free Screening!

Recently FAiTh (Fight Against Thalassemia) managed to organized a free thalassemia screening facility with collaboration HSC (Hospital Supply Corporation) in a free medical camp arranged by Usman Memorial Hospital, Hussainabad, Karachi.

Target was to screen 200 people for free, but due to lack of time we have managed to screen 122 people and 12 were caught as suspected, further screening is being done and soon they will be mailed their report on their address.

The event was covered by radio FM 107, Saama TV, Business Plus

After this successful event FAiTh soon will be arranging more screening camps on a bigger and better scale.

Pictures: Free Medical Camp!