My cousin Pasandi lives in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She was diagnosed with Thalassemia Major when she was 6 months old. She’s had to have a blood transfusion every month to maintain her oxygen count, as well as iron tablet treatments. Doctors say that this treatment is only viable to keep her alive until she is 14 years of age. She’s 12 years old now.

The only hopeful way to cure this condition is through a Bone Marrow Transplant from a matching donor. Unfortunately, none of her close and distant family relatives were suitable matching donors for her. All the efforts in searching for a donor in international registries did not succeed for 12 years.

Last month however, Pasandi’s parents (my uncle and aunty) got a call from the Nawaloka Hospital in Colombo informing them that there was a matching donor in the registry for Pasandi. This was good news, but they need to act fast to secure this donor.

The surgery would need to take place as soon as possible, and it will cost the parents around 5,800,000.00 LKR (approx £32,000). Pasandi’s parents have spent all their money for the treatments since her diagnosis and have very little money left to fund the surgery alone. Her parents are now pleading for help from any one they know to fund for the surgery.

Fortunately, we have already been able to raise over half of the total sum thanks to thousands of generous donors who supported a previous US campaign for Pasandi. Sadly, that campaign has expired and we are now restarting the campaign in the UK with a target £10,000.

I’m asking you to help me with this, most importantly I’m asking you to help Pasandi. If you are willing to support her, I will be so happy to know that you have the compassion to give my cousin a chance to live a healthy life. Please donate what ever amount you can afford to her cause.

Please share this page with anyone you feel might be willing to help.

Thank you & God Bless.

Prashan

*Doctors to carry further tests to ensure compatibility of donor.