Life transformed for Syrian boy with severe hemophilia A: 11-year-old Yousha Mazo from Syria

Life transformed for Syrian boy with severe hemophilia A

For 11-year-old Yousha Mazo from Syria, childhood was overshadowed by pain, hospital stays, and the constant threat of life-threatening bleeds. Fortunately, support provided by the World Federation of Hemophilia has now given him a chance at a new life.

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The WFH is active in Syria through several endeavours which aim to help the country along the road to being able to provide sustainable care to its inherited bleeding disorders community. These endeavours—which include the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program—are making a difference for people like Yousha Mazo.

Born with severe hemophilia A, Yousha endured repeated brain hemorrhages that kept him in the hospital for extended periods. Frequent bleeding into his knees and ankles also forced him to miss school for long stretches. One of the greatest challenges for him came when he had bleeding episodes during periods when his hospital had no factor VIII available. Without immediate treatment, the pain intensified, and he was left temporarily bedridden.

That all changed in February, 2023, when Yousha began prophylactic non-factor replacement therapy made possible thanks to donations provided by the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program, and supported by the Syrian Hemophilia Society. The impact of this treatment was life-changing for the boy. His bleeding episodes nearly stopped, and his family’s constant fear of acute bleeds and emergency hospital visits eased. Now, Yousha can walk, play, and return to school with his friends.

Over 5 million IUs of factor were donated to Syria through the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program in 2024, along with 53 thousand mgs of non-factor replacement therapy. Since 2015, nearly 44 million IUs of factor, and over 185 thousand mgs of non-factor replacement therapy have been donated. To find out more about the WFH Humanitarian Program, please click here.

About the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program

The WFH Humanitarian Aid Program improves the lack of access to care and treatment by providing much-needed support for people with inherited bleeding disorders in developing countries. By providing patients with a more predictable and sustainable flow of humanitarian aid donations, the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program makes it possible for patients to receive consistent and reliable access to treatment and care. None of this would be possible without the generous support of Sanofi and Sobi, our Founding Visionary Contributors; Bayer, CSL Behring and Roche, our Visionary Contributors; Grifols, our Leadership Contributor; and Takeda, our Contributor. To learn more about the WFH Humanitarian Aid Program, visit www.treatmentforall.org.

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