I was asked to read this:

This URL from the Green Imperative, community outreach program by Banyan Tree Maldives was sent to me by a reader. http://www.banyantree.com/greenimperative/outreach.htm

I would like to thank Banyan Tree, Maldives for their efforts in helping Maldivian patients with Beta Thalassaemia major.

There are a few things that I MUST correct/ammend (or add comments to) on this webpage:

1. In the end of the first paragraph it reads "there is also a dire lack of iron...". This information is incorrect. In fact there is an excess of iron in patients with Beta Thalassaemia major. This is the reason why they need to use Desferal, the iron removing injection.

2. While it is true that many Maldivian patients with Beta Thalassaemia major die due to complications of the disease by around 20-30 years of life, this is not the case in most centers around the world. Patients indeed do live "generally well" into their late 50s provided that they receive adequate transfusion AND iron chelation therapy. Our patients need to be aware that they can live a relatively healthy life well over 20-30 years by being more compliant with their treatment.

I have sent an email to the web editor of the site regarding these errors on the page a few weeks earlier.