World Haemophilia Day
Fri, Apr 16 2010
The Many Faces of Bleeding Disorders: United together on World Haemophilia 
Day
Saturday 17 April 2010 is World Haemophilia Day. Many people have heard of haemophilia but what of other inherited bleeding disorders?
- Bleeding disorders can affect both males and females
- von Willebrand disorder is the most common bleeding disorder
- Women who carry the haemophilia gene can also experience bleeding symptoms
- Most people around the world with bleeding disorders do not have access to adequate diagnosis and treatment.
On World Haemophilia Day 2010, meet the many faces of bleeding disorders - united to achieve Treatment for All.
To show the different types and varied experiences of bleeding disorders around the world, the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) has created the Many Faces of Bleeding Disorders video podcast. What was it like to grow up as a girl with undiagnosed von Willebrand disorder? What is the impact of living with haemophilia and limited treatment options in some parts of the world? What can we do about it? Visit www.wfh.org/whd for more information and to view the video podcast. This WFH video was made possible with funding from Baxter Healthcare Corporation.
World Haemophilia Day is celebrated on 17 April, the birthday of WFH founder, Frank Schnabel, who died of AIDS in 1987 as a result of contaminated blood products. Like Frank Schnabel, many Australians with bleeding disorders acquired blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV from their treatment products before 1990. Today there is enough treatment product available in Australia to help prevent bleeding, pain and joint damage. Treatments are carefully regulated and monitored to make sure they are as safe as possible and the risk of new infections from blood products is extremely low. Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) continues to take a strong and watchful interest in product accessibility and safety to ensure ongoing supplies of safe treatment products.
The Many Faces of Bleeding Disorders campaign is part of the WFH's continuing efforts to improve care for people with inherited bleeding disorders around the world. Each year haemophilia organizations around the world celebrate World Haemophilia Day to increase awareness of haemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
"On World Haemophilia Day 2010 we want to spread the message that most people around the world with bleeding disorders do not have access to adequate diagnosis and treatment,” says Gavin Finkelstein, HFA President. “HFA actively supports the work of WFH to achieve treatment for all, and encourages others to as well – through the Global Feast fundraising program, the WFH twinning program and work on other WFH programs and committees. HFA has put in a bid to hold the 2014 World Congress in Melbourne – the World Congress is an important way for WFH to generate funds for programs and services around the world, including treatment for all.”
“The goal of the World Federation of Hemophilia is that, one day, treatment will be available for all those with inherited bleeding disorders, regardless of where they live,” said Mark Skinner, WFH president. “Our vision of Treatment for All means expanding services beyond hemophilia, to those with von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies, and inherited platelet disorders.” For more information about bleeding disorders, HFA’s work in Australia and internationally and how you can help, go to HFA’s web site – www.haemophilia.org.au.
