Thalassemia: It's in Our Blood

As the producers of “Thalassemia: It’s In Our Blood” we pride ourselves on innovation. Part of this has been introducing topics that have never been talked about, or, discussed very little. We strive to  give people, who have not had the opportunity, a platform to share their stories. This episode - the first in a trilogy - highlights the perspective of children whose parents have thalassemia. Ple...

Today, International Thalassemia Day 2026, marks the one year anniversary of the first episode of "Thalassemia: It's In Our Blood." We are beyond fortunate to have Dr. Maria Domenica Cappellini as our guest to help us mark this important occasion. We are dedicating this special episode to honouring her more than four decades of brilliant, life-changing work that has transformed the l...

In this episode of Thalassemia, It’s in Our Blood, guest Tobias Larkin shares his journey from living with Thalassemia in the U.S. to building a life in Taiwan as an English teacher. He reflects on his diagnosis, the steps that helped him turn a high school dream into reality, and his experience receiving transfusions and care in Taiwan. Tobias’s story is an inspiring look at what may be possible...

Our community often asks about pregnancy and parenthood with Thalassemia—which is why we dedicated episode 10 to this topic.   Linda Black reached out after hearing the podcast, eager to share her story and raise awareness about Thalassemia and pregnancy. Linda, a 33-year-old stay-at-home mom and patient in the US, naturally conceived twins who are now 3 years old. Hear her story and why it's...

This Valentine’s Day, we honor a love that continues to shine.  A mother’s love that has turned pain into purpose. In this heartfelt episode, Shermin shares the story of her daughter, Menaal, who passed away at 18 from complications following a bone marrow transplant for thalassemia. Just two years into her grief, Shermin speaks about how she keeps Menaal’s light alive each day. Through  Menaal4Li...

Join us for an inspiring Episode 8 where patient voices from around the world share heartfelt New Year 2026 messages for the thalassemia community.

John Zuke, now 53, is a nurse anesthetist and the oldest US patient cured of thalassemia. John shares openly about decades of transfusions from childhood, his experience at 52 undergoing gene therapy through Zynteglo, and his vibrant life now—transfusion-free, married with boys aged 14 and 17, and working hard, playing hard. John's light shows us that a lifetime's fight can end in cure; we...

As people living with thalassemia and those who live with chronic illness and rare disease, we are especially grateful for medical advances and scientific breakthroughs. Join us as we talk  with guest, Aliya Rinaldi, about growing up with thalassemia and then her journey towards a cure as one of the pioneer patients undergoing bluebird bio’s gene therapy trial for Zynteglo, Aliya’s story is some a...

On today’s episode we talk to Dina Steagall whose beloved mother, Merula Steagall, passed away from thalassemia at age 56. Merula started Abrasta and Abrale, the Brazilian non-profit organizations for thalassemia and blood cancers. About having a mother with thalassemia, Dina quotes, “we have warriors as our role models and we have so much to learn from them…she was my role model…she was an angel...

Michelle Campbell invites us into her family’s remarkable story living with thalassemia, a rare genetic disorder affecting her daughter Shelby. Hear about how they navigated the diagnosis, the difficult decisions they made, and how they embraced cutting-edge genetic therapy. Michelle’s heartfelt story demonstrates the incredible advances in medicine, and the strength it takes to face life’s toughe...

On this episode "Understanding Thalassemia 101", we share the essentials of this genetic blood disorder for everyone. From those living with thalassemia, to anyone wanting to understand it better. Thalassemia affects how the body makes hemoglobin, which can lead to anemia. It’s inherited from both parents, so understanding your genetics is key. Treatments often include regular blood tran...

Today, we are talking about resilience with Kostas Tsurlis from Nuremberg, Germany. He is 53 and living with TDT (transfusion-dependent thalassemia). He discusses how the challenges he has faced have built resilience and made him a stronger person by helping others. In his words: “Over the last three decades, I have been active in thalassemia matters, and I became an expert patient. Over the years...

On this episode of It's in Our Blood: We are excited to launch our very first episode on International Thalassaemia Day, May 8- a day dedicated to raising awareness and honoring the global thalassaemia community. In this episode, you’ll hear from people living with thalassaemia around the world as they share how the condition has shaped their lives, the lessons they’ve learned , and their hopes fo...