Support 100 children with thalassemia in Lebanon

Today, we have some good news. We will be collaborating on a new project supporting children with thalassemia in Lebanon:

On collaboration with the Lebanese Red Cross and the University of Cagliari, Karma will be implementing a project to improve survival and prevent complications in children living with transfusion-dependent thalassemia in Lebanon in 2026.

The project aims to ensure equitable access to life-saving transfusion therapy, in line with international medical guidelines, for pediatric patients, particularly refugees, stateless children, and Lebanese families without access to private healthcare.

Children with thalassemia depend on regular, safe, phenotype-matched blood transfusions to prevent severe complications such as chronic anemia, cardiac failure, bone deformities, growth delay, and reduced quality of life. In Lebanon, families rely entirely on the Lebanese Red Cross to receive these blood units free of charge.

Currently, the Lebanese Red Cross operates with one dedicated blood collection team nationwide, limiting blood availability. The project supports the purchase of additional whole blood collection systems, increasing donor intake capacity and contributing to a more sustainable blood supply for thalassemia patients and other transfusion-dependent individuals.

In parallel, the initiative includes awareness-raising on thalassemia and support for hospital care for the most vulnerable children facing financial barriers.

We are very happy about these good news at the end of the year, and want to thank you once more for all your support throughout these last months that were very difficult. 

We keep you updated about our work in the upcoming months. 

 Dear supporters of Karma's thalassemia project in Lebanon,

I hope this all finds you well and you are having a good summer.

This is to give you an update on Karma's work with children with thalassemia in Lebanon. The last months were not easy, Karma does currently not have any institutional funds and is dependant on private donations and fundraising events to be able to sustain a minimal support for our cohort of patients.

We tried our best mainly by giving free consultations to patients, referring them to specialised doctors and covering the blood infusions for the most vulnerable among them. We also collaborated with ANERA to provide deferoxamine (iron chelation therapy) for the patients, This is the minimum possible support that Karma seeks to provide for its patients.

We are also enforcing our fundraising strategy and efforts to hopefully be able to provide more comprehensive services in the near future.

In these difficult times, we are extremely grateful for your support and dedication to our cause.

Thanks from the bottom of our heart from the Karma team and our patients and their family!

Links:

• Karma's fundraising event on International Thalassemia Day