Just about every
day, week or month can be associated with awareness. World AIDS Day, International Blood Cancer
Awareness Week, Dental Health Month….and of course there are the ones that are
for fun like International Talk Like a Pirate Day and National Margarita
Day.
Today, April 17th is
World Hemophilia Day. It is a day set
aside to spread awareness about bleeding disorders on an international
level. Maybe you know someone who has a
child with hemophilia but have you ever considered that there may be a bleeding
disorder in your family? Asking
questions is always a great place to start.
It may help you uncover some realities in your family that you had not
considered. I recently had an old friend
reach out to me because she thought she may be having complications from a
bleeding disorder. It wasn't hemophilia
or von Willebrand's disease, but she went in for treatment and started by
asking me…her connection to bleeding disorders.
You may be that
connection for someone else today.
The other thing that
weighs heavily on my heart today on World Hemophilia Day, are the thousands of
people around the world who are suffering from bleeds right now without access
to clotting factor. My sons have thousands
of units of factor available in our home and others are suffering.
- Suffering in pain that will not have relief any time soon.
- Suffering because their mobility is challenged and the only way they can get from place to place is on an old set of crutches.
- Suffering because the cost of factor is beyond their wildest imagination.
Tonight I pray for
those all over the world affected by bleeding disorders. I pray for continued strength and peace so
that they have a new day to start the fight all over again.
