World Thalassemia Day is observed annually on May 8 to raise awareness about the genetic blood disorder, honor patients, and promote early diagnosis and quality care. The 2026 theme, “Hidden No More: Finding the Undiagnosed. Supporting the Unseen,” focuses on identifying asymptomatic carriers and supporting those living without proper care.  According to doctors, India sees more than 10,000 children born with thalassaemia every year. However, finding matched unrelated stem cell donors remains difficult because of the limited number of registered donors from Indian populations.