Ahad Shaikh

This is 7-year-old Ahad Shaikh (name changed). He and his elder brother, Afzal (name changed), who would later become his BMT donor are part of a small nuclear family from Mumbai where his dad is the sole breadwinner as an auto driver. Ahad was a 3-month-old when his parents noticed his body was turning pale without specific reasons. Some tests and scans later revealed that Ahad was suffering from Thalassemia Major and needed a bone marrow transplant (BMT). During his treatment, Ahad underwent blood transfusions for seven long years. Finally, he underwent BMT towards the end of 2021. Ahad’s BMT was successful with help from various trusts and foundations, Ekam Foundation Mumbai being a prominent name in that list. He recovered completely and could return to being healthy and happy, living his normal life. He has started going to school and is currently studying in 2nd grade.