Bengaluru Woman Donates Stem Cells, Saves Teen Battling Rare Blood Disorder
Bengaluru, March 12, 2026: A 32-year-old woman from Kumta has given a new lease of life to a teenager suffering from a rare and life-threatening blood disorder, after donating her blood stem cells through a national donor registry.
Swathi, an IT consultant, recently met 19-year-old Anandu for the first time after her stem cell donation helped cure him of severe aplastic anaemia — a condition in which the bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells.
Anandu’s health crisis began when he was 15 and studying in Class 10. He had been experiencing persistent fever following a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, which led doctors to investigate further. Tests eventually revealed that he had severe aplastic anaemia, a potentially fatal disorder requiring urgent treatment.
Doctors treating him recommended a blood stem cell transplant, considered the only curative option for the disease. His physician, Dr V.P. Krishnan, consultant in paediatric haemato-oncology and bone marrow transplant at MVR Cancer Centre and Research Institute in Kozhikode, initiated a search for a suitable donor.
Finding a matching donor proved challenging, and the family went through a difficult period marked by emotional and financial stress. The transplant was eventually made possible with support from the DKMS Patient Funding Programme India, which provides partial financial assistance to patients undergoing stem cell transplantation.
Anandu underwent a matched unrelated donor transplant in early 2023. According to Dr Krishnan, the recovery phase included expected complications such as febrile neutropenia and mucositis, but his overall progress remained positive.
“His blood counts stabilised well after the transplant and donor chimerism levels are good. Today he is healthy, attending college and preparing for his Class 12 board examinations,” the doctor said.
Meanwhile, Swathi had first registered as a potential stem cell donor in 2016 during a donor recruitment drive organised at her workplace by DKMS. Six years later, in 2022, she received a call informing her that she was a potential match for a patient in need. Without hesitation, she agreed to donate.
Her decision was strongly supported by her family, including her husband. Swathi says the experience became even more meaningful when she later became a mother herself.
“Now that I have a baby boy, I understand even more deeply what parents go through when their child is suffering. Being able to help save a life feels incredibly special,” she said.
Health experts say such acts of voluntary donation are crucial, as the chances of finding a matching donor remain low in India. Patrick Paul, Executive Chairman of DKMS India, said that only about 0.09% of the country’s eligible population is currently registered as potential blood stem cell donors.
“In Karnataka alone, more than 49,000 individuals have registered as potential donors, with around 38,000 from Bengaluru. Stories like Swathi and Anandu’s highlight the lifesaving impact of donor registration and the urgent need for more volunteers,” he said.
Dr Govind Eriat, consultant haemato-oncologist and bone marrow transplant specialist at Cytecare Hospitals in Bengaluru, said that for patients with severe aplastic anaemia, a stem cell transplant can often be the only curative treatment.
“Finding a compatible donor remains one of the biggest challenges. Anandu’s recovery shows the resilience of patients and families facing such illnesses, while Swathi’s generosity demonstrates how a single decision can give someone a second chance at life,” he said.
Individuals aged between 18 and 55 years who are in good health, have a body mass index below 40 and are not already registered can sign up as potential blood stem cell donors through the DKMS registry.
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