The Cellphone Patients
Thalassemia is a hereditary disease for which there is as yet no cure. Patients must receive monthly blood transfusions, for life. Up to 10 percent of Indonesians suffer from thalassemia. Without preventive measures, 22,000 new patients are predicted to appear. A social foundation conducted blood tests at the end of December on couples planning to get married and will continue the same program next month.
January 19, 2010
TUTI Rahma, 29, asked her partners a “fatal” question. “Are you still ready to live with a thalassemic?” She posed the question whenever their relationship was becoming serious. “I couldn’t bear the pain of being parted while deeply in love,” said the West Jakarta resident. She realized not everybody dared to face the risk of living with a thalassemic: having children with thalassemia as well. Her relationships failed several times.
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