March marks the Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing awareness on how the body clots. Understanding and researching bleeding disorders, like hemophilia, Von Willebrand Disease, and other disorders of platelets has improved our knowledge in how we can better treat patients with these diseases. This is where our heroic donors come in and help patients live normal lives again. Each donation can go into not only supporting patients with these disorders, but also supports research into these diseases.

What is a bleeding disorder?

A bleeding disorder is anything that disrupts the platelets ability to form clots. Without the ability to clot, any injury, even a minor one, can cause life-threatening bleeds. Conditions like this emphasizes how vital it is for patients with hemophilia, Von Willebrand Disease, and other inherited clotting disorders to receive platelets to help replenish their bodies’ ability to clot.

For individuals with bleeding disorders, blood transfusions are often necessary to replenish missing clotting factors. Treatments and products, such as clotting factors and platelet derivatives, are made from donated blood, meaning that every donation has the potential to save a life.

How does it work?

Organizations like the Red Cross play a vital role in supporting patients with bleeding disorders. Through the generosity of our donors, the Red Cross is able to take blood products and separate their components into products that can be used to directly aid patients with a clotting disorder. For example, in Hemophilias, patients are missing something called a clotting factor, which aids in helping platelets to form a clot. These factors however can be processed through a clinical apheresis service, where they filter out those particular clotting factors from donated blood plasma, and return the rest of the blood and plasma back to the donor. The concentrated clotting factors collected can now be given to the patient via a transfusion.

Moreover, many breakthroughs have been made through gene therapies that can help create potential long term solutions to some bleeding disorders! The Red Cross is actively involved in cell and gene therapy solutions that can help reduce or even eliminate the need for frequent transfusions by supporting research and clinical trials that help develop many promising new treatments via donations!

How can you help?

The need for blood products is constant. The Red Cross is always in need of generous donors so we can ensure local hospitals can maintain supplies of blood and plasma for the patients who need it the most. Your contributions can make all the difference in someone fighting against a clotting disorder and helping them live a normal life. If eligible to donate, please consider scheduling an appointment with the Red Cross. Remember that these blood, platelet and plasma donations are essential for producing these lifesaving treatments, as they cannot be manufactured. Patients with hemophilia, Von Willebrand and other clotting disorders rely on plasma-derived products to survive. This March, take action by donating, raising awareness, and helping save lives.

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- Written by By Samantha Antenucci