“Blood Relative” is a truly moving, gripping documentary by Nimisha Mukerji, director of numerous films including the multiple award-winning documentary 65_RedRoses, set to air soon on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Set in Mumbai, we see a true life story of two brave, young sufferers of thalassemia major, a genetic disease, one variant of which is endemic to South and Southeast Asia where millions are affected with potentially fatal consequences.

“Blood Relative” was shown at the South Asian International Film Festival Thursday night.

The truest meaning of selflessness and humility defines the contributions of Vinay Shetty, the leader of the Think Foundation, which supports the young boys and girls afflicted with this disease in Mumbai. Whether you’re a health care professional or not, it’s hard to not be touched by his dedication and passion for his “thalassemia family”.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVRMpgbO1uU

Health care professionals often tout their motives for heading into their field as stemming from the immense gratification received from the smiles on the faces of their patients after making a difference in their lives. Picturesque scenarios of calm, relaxed conversations in doctors’ offices are painted in the dreams of aspiring doctors, still idealistic about their future.

However, the rigors of the profession are not unknown to the general public, and this undoubtedly can influence the origin of the rewards that medical professionals reap. In today’s world, mandates from hospital administration to increase productivity, from insurance companies to reduce the amount of time per patient to merely 7 or 10 minutes per visit and the notion of short nights and long days make the expected emotional rewards much more elusive. Doctors are less often able to appreciate the true struggles of their patients as more than a checklist of signs and symptomatology or lists of pharmacologic interventions.

The humanistic context of health care is easily lost in the calamity of practice. Given this paradigm shift from the home visit doctor or more intimate family physician towards modern medicine, it isn’t too far-fetched think that at some point, smiles fail to justify the labor and toil spent practicing.

But after only one and a half intense years in the hospital operating as a medical student at more than a doctor’s pace, I can see the propensity for budding professionals to progress to such a point. However, it is in moments like these, when stories like Vinay’s are told, that my doubts and worries are wisped away. Vinay’s motivations is a distillation of what all health care professionals devote their lives to. His story wholly embodies components of modern medicine that are slowly but surely slipping away: intimate relationships with not only patients but families, ruthless advocacy to individual and government sponsors to fund therapies, and complete devotion to the patients.

After having the distinct pleasure of delving into the personal and familial struggles of Divya and Imran with thalassemia major, it becomes apparent that the stories paraded in medical schools’ admissions essays of holding a dying family members’ hand and volunteering in third world countries are again lent credence as the real inspiration for the lifetime aspirations of people like myself.

It is needless to say, Blood Relative has breathed a new life into my passion for the well-being of others, and it is sure to do the same for others.

For more information on the documentary and how you can help the foundation please visit http://www.bloodrelative.net/ and http://www.thinkfoundation.org/