8 minutes | Wednesday, 12 December 2018
There was a time when haemophilia was seen as a life sentence. A simple cut or fall could be life-threatening. According to leading haematologist Dr Dan Hart, it only takes two or three bleeds for a child with haemophilia to develop premature arthritic joints, pain and disability later in life. However, advances in modern medicine over the past 30 years have dramatically enhanced the lives of those with the bleeding disorder.
Despite these developments, the Haemophilia 180 Report, which was presented in Parliament, explores the challenges faced by teens and young adults living with the disorder today. The report has been created based on an extensive series of first-hand interviews with people who deal with severe haemophilia A on a daily basis.
Commonwealth Gold Medallist and founder of haemophilia charity Little Bleeders, Alex Dowsett, joined us on the line alongside Dr Dan Hart - to discuss the report on the day of its presentation to Parliament, and why teenagers and young people with this condition can live long and healthy lives.