Entertainment
In a UK first, Pakistani doctor treats thalassaemia patients through gene therapy
LONDON: British-Pakistani paediatric consultant Dr Sher Bahadur Anjum has successfully treated two young thalassaemia patients through gene therapy, transforming their lives to complete normality — for the first time in the UK.
Dr Anjum, who specialises in haematology (blood disorders) at Newham Hospital in East London, part of Barts Health NHS Trust, led a team of carers at the Newham Hospital to treat the two young boys, now aged 11 and 13, of Bangladeshi background.
Thalassemia is a genetic condition that is most common in those who are Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi. It is a blood disorder, and people with thalassemia have low iron and oxygen levels in the body. This can make them severely anaemic — tired, short of breath, and pale.
To treat their thalassemia, the two patients needed to go to the hospital for blood transfusions every month, which had a major impact on their quality of life. The only cure is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant, but this is not done very often because of the risks involved, and it can be difficult to find donors.
Thanks to an innovative new gene therapy administered by Dr Anjum and his team, working with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), the two young boys, now aged 11 and 13, are now living healthy, happy lives without further hospital visits or regular blood transfusions.
Before getting the 4-week treatment at GOSH, Dr Anjum and the healthcare team at Newham Hospital conducted extensive pre-gene therapy care over three months, which included blood testing, vaccinations and maintaining the correct haemoglobin levels. Their care at Newham also continued long after the treatment, with monitoring, blood counts and managing the side effects.
When Dr Anjum first approached the families, they were both hesitant to start this therapy as it was new, and requires an initial longer hospital stay. However, after almost 12 months of speaking to them, listening and answering their questions and concerns, they were reassured to start the treatment for their children.
Now their lives have changed forever thanks to the treatment, and they want to encourage other South Asian parents to take up the offer if doctors find them eligible.
Dr Anjum, who originally studied in Gilglit Baltistan’s Astoria village and then Abbottabad Medical College (AMC) told Geo News: “Gene therapy is a new treatment that aims to fix the problem at its root. Doctors take some of your child’s own blood stem cells, add a healthy copy of the gene needed to make haemoglobin, and then return these cells to the body after special preparation. The goal is that your child’s body starts making enough haemoglobin on its own, so they no longer need regular blood transfusions. In many children, this has already worked successfully.
“Both of my patients had grown up knowing nothing but hospital visits and transfusions. Their parents had shouldered years of emotional and practical struggles, doing everything possible to keep their children well. When Barts Health NHS Trust was asked to identify patients for the new gene therapy programme, we saw a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“But convincing the families was not simple. Gene therapy is new, complex, and frightening to parents who have already endured so much. Understandably, both families were hesitant and fearful of risks. It took almost a year of continuous conversations, reassurance, and building trust before they agreed. At the Great Ormond Street Hospital, I was given an honorary contract so I could support the children and their families before, during, and after the procedure. The therapy itself was intense, requiring months of preparation, but the courage of these families carried them through.
“Six months on, the transformation is extraordinary. These children, once tethered to hospital beds and transfusion schedules, are now living normal lives without the need for blood transfusions. Their energy has returned, their futures are brighter, and their families have finally been released from the unending cycle of hospital visits.”
Dr Anjum said that for the first time, families affected by thalassaemia can imagine a future where their children are free from the shadow of chronic illness. “It shows the power of gene therapy to turn despair into hope, and it highlights what collaboration within the NHS can achieve when we put patients and families at the heart of care.”
Kate Middleton sped up her efforts to bring back Prince Harry to the royal fold, especially during hard times for the royal family.
The Princess of Wales is reportedly urging her brother-in-law to share his plans related to Princess Diana’s death anniversary, so it won’t spoil the Waleses plans.
As Harry is in the news related to a possible reunion with his family, Catherine does not want his actions to shatter reconciliation dreams, Heat World reported.
The source shared, “Royal aides have been working behind the scenes to ensure that Diana’s anniversary is marked in a way that William is comfortable with.”
However, the Sussexes are “said to be organising their own thing, despite requests to coordinate activities.”
Princess Kate seemingly is not in favour of any “clash” between the two brothers, who are already on the verge of lifelong estrangement.
An insider claimed that the future Queen warned Harry that if he wouldn’t share his plans for the sombre event, it “could be the final nail in the coffin for Kate.”
“She’s always tried to see both sides in the hope that Harry would come back to his family. But this situation risks crossing a line,” added the source.
The mother-of-three is no longer in favour of defying her husband William, as the upcoming occasion also holds a special place in his heart.
“She will always stand by her husband. If siding with William means going against Harry, so be it,” the report shared.
Notably, Kate Middleton’s ultimatum to Harry came at a time when the royal family once again made it to the negative limelight following Andrew and Fergie’s vulgar exchange with Epstein.
Fears sweep royal families across Europe as shocking revelations have come to light in the latest tranche of Epstein files released by the Department of Justice in US.
King Charles had ousted his shamed brother Andrew from the royal fold, stripping off the shamed royal of his honours and titles including Prince-style, over his ties to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. After the King’s landmark move, a beloved royal’s name emerged in the documents.
The Swedish Royal Court had to release a statement which confirmed that Princess Sofia, wife of Prince Carl Philip, had met Epstein but asserted that Sofia did not have any contact with the financier since 2005.
Although, a new email from 2010 reveals that Epstein was receiving updates on the Sofia, as she was getting ready to marry the Prince. Epstein had been interested in inviting Sofia to his private island in the Caribbean.
Sofia’s connection came from her mentor, financier Barbro Ehnbom, who had ties to Epstein. He had introduced her to Epstein as an “aspiring” actress.
In the email sent by Barbro, as it was signed off as ‘BE’, he sent a photo of “our Sofia” who had been enjoying her time in Africa.
Epstein replied by asking whether she wanted to come to the Caribbean and offering to send a ticket.
The exchange was from the time when Sofia had started dating the second son of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She went on to marry Prince Carl Philip in 2015, and welcomed four children together.
There has been no new statement from the Royal Courts so far.
Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan has shared his two cents about the Warner Bros-Netflix merger deal.
Nolan sounded worried with his latest comments about the merger as he believes “loss of a major studio” will result in a major setback for the industry.
During a chat with Variety, the Inception director shared, “I think it’s a very worrying time for the industry. The loss of a major studio is a huge blow…”
According to him, a merger means there is going to be a loss of “jobs and consolidation.”
“There are encouraging noises, but that’s not the same as commitments”, said Nolan.
He further emphasized on the theatrical window of Warner Bros, which symbolically shows if the studio will continue to run as theatrical distributor or it will turn into a streamer.
The 55-year-old Oscar winning director added, “But the reality is, the issues on the television side and the streaming side are far more important to [the Director’s Guild of America].”
Nolan has been known to have a great filmography career as it includes films like The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Tenet, Momento, Dunkirk and many more.
His fans are eagerly waiting for his new film The Odyssey, a Greek epic starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.
The much-awaited movie is slated to release on July 17, 2026.
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