Case for Support

One in 100 Canadians carries an inherited bleeding disorder gene, and 1 in 10 of these, or 35,000 Canadians, has symptoms severe enough to require medical care. Many of them have not yet been properly diagnosed!

Bleeding disorders are a family of diseases in which blood proteins or platelets that help the blood to clot are missing or do not function properly, resulting in prolonged bleeding. While surface cuts and abrasions can create minor problems, the main risk for children and adults with these disorders is internal bleeding, mainly into muscles and joints or vital organs which can cause death. For women there are additional risks: heavy menstrual periods, which in the absence of proper diagnosis can lead to unnecessary hysterectomies, and the risk of hemorrhaging during childbirth.

For all people with bleeding disorders prolonged bleeding after injury or surgery can be life threatening.