“Dedicated to serving the needs of the bleeding disorder community through education, advocacy and the support of research to find a cure”.
History
The United Virginia Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation (UVC-NHF) was founded in 1975 by a group of concerned parents, patients, doctors and nurses with the common goal of making life easier for persons affected by hemophilia and related bleeding disorders. At that time, treating bleeding episodes was time consuming and not very efficient. Many bleeding episodes required lengthy hospital stays and left permanent damage. Life was difficult at best and pain was a way of life. Today, treatment is much better and most families are able to manage this condition through home treatment. Hospital stays are few and far between. However, living with a chronic illness still presents challenges. The cost of treating hemophilia can easily run over $200,000 per year. Insurance may be difficult to obtain and job choices are still somewhat limited. UVC-NHF continues to have a strong presence and provides a variety of support services, i.e. educational and support programs, advocacy opportunities, an annual meeting, family and summer camps, a quarterly newsletter, medic alert bracelets, seminars for parents, teens and adults, etc.