Thalassemia by Hana Sabrine Hubert

                Thalassemia is a blood disorder that is inherited. The body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. This results in excessive destruction of blood cells, which leads to anemia, meaning you don't have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues. Thalassemia can cause significant complications, including iron overload, bone deformities and cardiovascular illness. If a person receives a beta thalassemia minor from his father and another from his mother, he will have beta thalassemia major. If a person received an alpha thalassemia trait from her mother and the normal alpha parts from her father, she would have alpha thalassemia minor. Having a thalassemia minor means that you may not have any symptoms, but you might pass that trait on to your children and increase their risk of having thalassemia. If you have thalasseemia major, you will have to get blood transfusions. It's important to know about rare diseases and continue extensive ongoing  researches, so please help us increase awareness, and donate.