Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls mark International Thalassemia Day

The society has set up stands at Ajman City Centre, Sharjah City Centre, Deira City Centre and Mall of the Emirates through to the 8th of May.

The dedicated kiosks at the malls will distribute information booklets and brochures relating to the disease and will provide information to people about Thalassemia personally.

The society will also greet the visitors at the mall with messages on balloons to mark the celebration of the International Thalassemia Day. Visitors at the kiosks will also be given customized squeeze balls which are better known for stress relief.

Fareed AbdelRahman, VP Divisional Asset Management, MAF Shopping Malls said, "We are honoured to partner with the Emirates Thalassemia Society for such a noble cause and help them raise awareness of this condition that afflicts far too many people in the UAE. We are happy to extend our support to the society in our malls and hope that our customers benefit from this initiative."

Thalassemia is a disorder of the blood that affects millions of people throughout the world. Sufferers of the disease have a decreased number of important blood cell constituents, which can affect the transport of oxygen from the lungs around the body.

This can result in tiredness, weakness, loss of appetite, irritability and frequent infections. It is thought that a historic resistance to malaria for indigenous people within this region may have resulted in them developing a susceptibility to the disease; something that is now passed on through the generations.