Bengaluru baby among 14 in the world with rare genetic disorder BENTA

According to a Bengaluru-based blood stem cell registry, the baby's only hope is a blood stem cell transplant.

Bengaluru: A seven-month-old baby from Bengaluru has been diagnosed with 'BENTA' disease, an extremely rare primary immunodeficiency disorder, that is said to have affected only 13 others in the world. This case of genetic mutation has affected only 14 people in the world, including Vijayendra and his only hope for survival is a blood stem cell transplant, according to DKMS BMST Foundation India, a Bengaluru-based blood stem cell registry, that is coordinating the search for a matching donor for him.

Sharing her thoughts, Vijayendra's mother Rekha said: “Being a mother, I feel devastated to see my son going through so much pain and the only way he can survive is a stem cell transplant from a matching donor".

"It will only take five minutes of your time to sign up online, and register with this simple process of filling a web form and submitting your cheek swab sample to help my baby survive this rare disease," she said.