Thalassemia patients deserve special care: Dar

LAHORE: Pakistan’s ICC Elite Panel umpire Aleem Dar visited Sundus Foundation at Shadman and spend some time with thalassemia patients the other day.

During his visit, Aleem Dar met with on-duty doctors, staff and patients as well. Sundas Foundation is supplying healthy blood to the patients suffering from thalassemia, hemophilia and blood cancer.

It is pertinent to mention here that Aleem Dar has accelerated his social welfare activities during the break from international cricket engagements due to coronavirus pandemic.

Aleem Dar, world’s senior most umpire with 386 international matches including 132 Tests, 208 ODIs and 46 T20s, is also offering free food these days for jobless persons especially labourers at his restaurant during the lockdown situation.

In a video message, Aleem said serving and looking after the thalassemia patients is the best thing one can do during this free but challenging time.

Aleem, ICC’s three-time best umpire, appealed to young people particularly students to give maximum blood donations for thalassemia patients especially when all educational institutions including colleges and universities are closed due to coronavirus. “Thalassemia patients are in serious trouble due to coronavirus and subsequent restrictions. They require blood donations regularly to get complete recovery from this fatal disease but the donors are facing hurdles due to prolonged lockdown throughout the country due to Covid-19 outbreak”.

Aleem urged the student community to defeat thalassemia by donating blood regularly. “I request to all people, cricket clubs and sports persons to help thalassemia patients in this difficult time”.

Aleem said thalassemia patients deserve special attention of the society. “Thalassemia being a fatal disease requires maximum resources to be controlled”. He further stressed the need to promote awareness among the young generation regarding thalassemia.

Aleem urged all the unmarried Pakistanis to undergo necessary blood tests before their marriage to halt the further spread of blood diseases especially among new-borns.

It is pertinent to mention here that a blood donation camp was organised in Mangowal on the request of Aleem Dar. Young blood donors belonging to multiple sports like cricket, hockey, football, kabaddi and badminton etc donated blood at the camp which was arranged under the supervision of President Mangowal Cricket Association Javed Butt. Javed Butt informed that over 100 bags of blood have been collected at the largely-attended camp.

Aleem Dar thanked the young blood donors of Gujrat for their plenty of blood donations. He also appealed the young cricket players from Gujranwala, Sialkot and other areas to come forward and take part in this noble cause. “We can overwhelm this deadly disease through combine efforts,” he opined.

Aleem lauded the efforts of Sundus Foundation for serving the ailing humanity since long. “Sundas Foundation is engaged in the noble task of helping children suffering from this fatal disease,” he added. Here is contact for blood donations: 03338116899 and 03016403613.