Dilip K, a 27-year-old IT professional from Kadahalli in Kolar district, Karnataka, has saved the life of a 12-year-old thalassaemia patient, Sameeksha, from Sangamner in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, through stem cell donation. The donation was made possible after Dilip registered for stem cell donation at a camp organised in his college in 2019, and was found to be a perfect match for Sameeksha in 2021.

The stem cell transplant was carried out successfully in 2023, giving Sameeksha a second chance at life. Dilip met Sameeksha for the first time on Thursday, ahead of World Thalassaemia Day, and described the experience as deeply emotional.

Sameeksha's mother, Neeta Ambekar, recalled the difficult years spent searching for a donor, and thanked Dilip for saving her daughter's life. The DKMS Foundation India provided partial financial support for the transplant expenses under its patient funding programme for economically weaker families.

According to Patrick Paul, Executive Chairman of DKMS India, financial barriers continue to prevent many from accessing life-saving treatment for blood disorders in India. The doctor who conducted the transplant, Siddhesh Kalantri, said that finding a matched unrelated donor for a child is often extremely difficult, and that Sameeksha's journey shows what becomes possible when early diagnosis, timely treatment, and a willing donor come together.

The court is not involved in this case, but the DKMS Foundation India will continue to support patients with blood disorders, and Sameeksha will continue her recovery and rehabilitation.