SAJAForum: Vinit Chakravarty Loses Battle With Leukemia
In March 2008, we wrote about the passing of Sameer Bhatia, one of two South Asian men whose struggle with leukemia had caught the imagination of South Asians and others across the U.S. We are sorry to report that the other young man, Vinay Chakravarthy, 29, passed away this morning.
… Vinay, through HelpVinay.org and Sameer, through HelpSameer.org, used their illness as a way of mobilizing the community and bringing attention to the lack of South Asians in the national bone-marrow registries.
Vinay and his wife, Rashmi, were profiled in the recent PBS special, “The Truth About Cancer.” Through their tired eyes, I could see the young couple’s hope. 29 is no age to die and three years of marriage is way too short for a woman so devoted to her ailing husband.
In the last three years, I have lost three loved ones to cancer and now observe its growth in my grandmother as well as two friends.
And I am a heel for being one of those South Indians not on the national bone-marrow registry, relying on the sad excuse that a recruitment drive has not been held in New Orleans or a city conveniently located on my paths of travel.
I just registered myself with the Asian American Donor Program and requested a home test kit that doesn’t cost anything. Even if it does, I’ll gladly pay it. According to the site, “kits are fully funded through a special grant for anyone of all or partial ethnic minority descent” while donor eligibility requires “being in between the ages of 18-60, having no serious, ongoing lower back problems and being in good general health.” Within this lifetime, I hope my marrow helps save a life.
im really sorry to hear that vinay passed away .even in india children die every year due to the lack of a donor from leukaemia i hope that this situation improves