MONTREAL, April 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — April 17, 2023 is World Hemophilia Day. The theme of the event this year is “Access for All: Prevention of bleeds as the global standard of care”. Building on last year’s theme, the call to action for the community in 2023 is to come together and advocate with local policy makers and governments for improved access to treatment and care with an emphasis on better control and prevention of bleeds for all people with bleeding disorders (PWBDs). This means the implementation of home-based treatment as well as prophylactic treatment to help those individuals have a better quality of life.
“There is nothing more moving for someone in our community to hear about than a child with a bleeding disorder playing with friends, going to school, and simply enjoying a better quality of life because they have access to proper treatment. Controlling and preventing bleeds really is critical to a better quality of life.”
—Cesar Garrido, WFH President
There are many ways you can bring attention to hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders in your local and global community to raise awareness of the need for inclusion in national policy. Whether you are a person with a bleeding disorder, a national member organization (NMO), or a healthcare professional, here are just a few things you can do to get started:
- Get social by posting about inherited bleeding disorders on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn using the #WorldHemophiliaDay, #WHD2023, and #LightItUpRed hashtags
- Organize an event, host a community event, webinar, forum or town hall and invite elected officials to learn more about your work first-hand and to meet with the community
- Participate in the World Hemophilia Day Light it Up Red campaign. Last year, thousands of people worldwide showed their support—while respecting local COVID-19 requirements—by lighting up 100+ landmarks red in cities across the world
- Support our global advocacy efforts by donating or organizing a fundraising event
- Share your story about how you or someone you know has been affected by inherited bleeding disorders, and read the stories of others
- Take action locally and use WFH World Hemophilia Day materials to send a letter to your local policymakers, set up meetings with elected officials and health ministers and engage with the local media
- Contact your local national member organization (NMO), to find out how you can support them
- Download resources like posters and social media banners from wfh.org/whd to help build your World Hemophilia Day Campaign
- Send pictures, comments, or questions to the WFH at communications@wfh.org
To learn more about World Hemophilia Day, please visit wfh.org/world-hemophilia-day.
The WFH would like to thank our 2023 World Hemophilia Day sponsors for their continued support: Bayer, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc., Biotest, CSL Behring, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., GC Pharma, Grifols, Kedrion, LFB S.A, Novo Nordisk, Octapharma, Pfizer, Sanofi, Sobi, Spark Therapeutics, and Takeda.
About hemophilia and other bleeding disorders
In people with bleeding disorders, the blood clotting process doesn’t work properly, with the result that they can bleed for longer than normal, and some people may experience spontaneous bleeding into joints, muscles, or other parts of their bodies which can lead to developmental and permanent mobility issues.
About the World Federation of Hemophilia
The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving and sustaining care for people with inherited bleeding disorders around the world. We work in partnership with healthcare providers (HCPs), governments, and our global network of national member organizations (NMOs) in 147 countries. We provide our NMOs and healthcare providers with the knowledge and tools they need to identify, support and treat people living with bleeding disorders in their communities, while promoting global advocacy and collaboration to achieve our common goals.
Our vision of Treatment for All is for a world where all people with inherited bleeding disorders have access to care, regardless of their type of bleeding disorder, gender, or where they live. Our mission is to improve and sustain care for people with inherited bleeding disorders around the world.
To find out more about the WFH, please visit www.wfh.org, and for WFH events at wfh.org/wfh-events.
Media contact:
Neha Suchak
Director, Marketing & Communications
nsuchak@wfh.org
+1 514-875-7944, #2857
www.wfh.org
SOURCE World Federation of Hemophilia
