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Haemophilia Day 2020: Significance and history
Every year on April 17, Haemophilia Day is recognised to raise awareness about Haemophilia and other similar bleeding disorders.
Every year on April 17, Haemophilia Day is recognised to raise awareness about Haemophilia and other similar bleeding disorders. Awareness spread during this day leads to better diagnosis and access for those people who may be unaware of their condition. Haemophilia is a blood disorder in which the blood does not clot properly.
This is also an opportunity to talk about the disease with friends, family and others and also support those have the condition. Various events are held on this day to collect funds for Haemophilia patients who cannot afford treatment.
History
World Haemophilia Day was started by the World Federation of Haemophilia in 1989 on April 17, to honour the birth anniversary of Frank Schnabel, the founder of the World Federation of Haemophilia.
People became aware of Haemophilia in the 10th century. Individuals would suffer from small injuries but bled to death. It was in 1803, that Dr. John Conrad Otto of Philadelphia started to examine people called ‘bleeders’, and determined that it was a hereditary illness which was passed onto male children by their mothers.
Normally on this day events are held to raise awareness regarding the disease. This is imperative; because the main problem is that most people who have Haemophilia either don’t get proper treatment or no treatment at all.
Haemophilia symptoms
People with Haemophilia could have:
1) Nosebleeds that do not stop for a long time
2) Bleeding gums
3) Bruising
4) Pain in joints due to internal bleeding
With people who have Haemophilia there is always a risk that there could be a bleed inside a skull, symptoms of this could include:
1) Severe headaches
2) Vomiting
3) Stiff neck
4) Mental confusion
5) Double vision
6) Lack of balance
