World Hemophilia Day: wear red and join #HemoCallenge

The Hemophilia Foundation, in collaboration with the Government of Buenos Aires, launched a blood donation campaign and asks on Wednesday, World Day of Hemophilia, all use at least a red garment to raise awareness about this disease. This day is celebrated every April 17, birth date of Frank Schnabel, founder of the World Federation of Hemophilia.

"Haemophilia is a hemorrhagic problem. People with hemophilia do not bleed faster than normal, but they can do it longer. Your blood does not contain a sufficient amount of clotting factor, which is a protein in the blood that controls the blood bleeding. As a result, the repetition of bleeding permanently damages the joints, generates muscle damage and puts the patient's life at risk depending on where the bleeding is generated, "said Carlos Safadi Márquez, a hemophiliac patient. and chairman of the board. Haemophilia Foundation of Buenos Aires.

On behalf of the Foundation, ask those who decide to participate in the campaign by donating blood or wearing red clothing to also support social networks as part of the program. hashtag #HemoChallenge, posting their photos and designating three other people to also accept the challenge.

Garrahan's campaign

In this context, Garrahan Hospital will make a campaign to give blood this long weekend. Interested persons can do it Thursday and Saturday from 7h to 12h, on November 15, 1889, under number 2151. And only on Saturday, the 20th, during the external campaign which will take place in the city of Berazategui, in Buenos Aires, from 10 to 16 years, at the fire station of the 14th and 145th streets .

The authorities explained that "the hospital requires 65 daily donors on average, it is more complicated to meet the demand for blood components of all patients and to cover stocks on long weekends. "

From the hospital, they reported that donate blood you must be between 18 and 65 years old, weigh more than 50 kilos, be in good health, do not suffer from blood-borne diseases, have not had unsafe bad in the last year, do not use intravenous drugs, not having consumed during the last year, tattoos or piercings or surgeries.

You can give blood every 4 months in the case of men and every six months in the case of women.

An expensive treatment

Safadi Márquez says that 50 years ago, a diagnosis of hemophilia was virtually "a pain to lead a very painful, brief and full of limitations", however "treatments allowing patients to lead a life normal appeared. "Today, a hemophiliac patient, when he receives the appropriate treatment, lives with fullness and normalcy, his life expectancy is equal to that of a non-hemophiliac person and the stories related to it." Although hemophilia should no longer be badociated with pain and limitations, these are stories of going beyond.However, well-treated hemophilia does not cause a deterioration in the quality of life of patients, "he said.

Regarding the application in the country, the owner of the Foundation said: "The treatment is very expensive, but much more expensive, it is a strict economic treatment, this patient does not have a busy life. Ideally, you can work and not generate disbursements on the health budget from poorly treated hemophilia problems In Argentina, the right to prophylaxis (preventive treatment) is recognized for patients under 21 years of age we must extend this right to adults because they are also entitled to a full life ".

Access to treatment in our country "is at one of the highest levels in the region, and innovative therapies are also emerging to further improve patients' quality of life," Safadi Márquez said. "All those involved in the treatment of hemophilia must achieve a goal, which is a right, and this is the slogan of the World Federation of Hemophilia: adequate treatment for all," he said. he concluded.