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Solidarity is our superpower: Coming together to support care in a new global reality

Your support was needed more than ever. The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and I thank you for answering the call.

Your support was needed more than ever. The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) and I thank you for answering the call.

It’s been said many times before: 2020 was a year like no other. There were so many challenges never seen before: a cancelled WFH Congress; no on-site visits or training; borders closed to international flights.

There were also so many questions: how would the global pandemic affect the programs we deliver? Would patients get left behind? How could we continue to meet our community’s needs?

The answer: you.

You came through for us, time and again. The global bleeding disorders community came together to navigate this global health crisis and continue our vital progress towards sustainable care. Of all the different ways individuals demonstrated their generosity, two new initiatives stood out.

Turning disappointment into hope

As the WFH 2020 World Congress was cancelled, all registered attendees were eligible for a complete refund of their registration and hotel fees. Many chose instead to donate their refund. An extraordinary USD $50,000 was donated in solidarity with the bleeding disorders community. Jim Munn, an HTC Nurse coordinator from Detroit explains his motivation for giving. “I’ve been to areas where every single family I’ve met had a family member die due to complications from hemophilia. That just doesn’t happen in the U.S.A… I know WFH is trying to provide care across the globe. It was such a relief to realize that even though we weren’t going to meet together [at Congress] I had an opportunity to share with the community that I have come to love.”

Delivering on our legacy

Another successful initiative was led by Frank Schnabel IV, board member of WFH USA and grandson of WFH founder Frank Schnabel. “I still hear about how my grandfather has affected the lives of so many people around the world,” he said. “Contributing your time to something greater than yourself is rewarding. Imagine relieving a child of their pain, even if it was just for one day.” To honour Frank Schnabel’s legacy of hope and healing, the Schnabel family matched all donations received between December 1 and 15, 2020. Over USD $19,000 was raised in support of the global bleeding disorders community.

Your support has been crucial to ensuring no one was left behind. But as we all know, it’s not over yet. We hope you will continue to stand with us and with people living with bleeding disorders around the globe. Consider signing up for monthly giving, which will help us remain resilient as we navigate the next phase of the pandemic and continue to bring about meaningful and sustainable change in our new global reality. You are our superpower.

We’ve accomplished a lot this year, we need your help to continue strong.

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Disclaimer

The information on the WFH website is provided for general information purposes only. The WFH does not engage in the practice of medicine and under no circumstances recommends particular treatment for specific individuals. For diagnosis or consultation on a specific medical problem, the WFH recommends that you contact your physician or local treatment centre. Before administering any products, the WFH urges patients to check dosages with a physician or hemophilia centre staff, and to consult the pharmaceutical company’s printed instructions.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, the WFH does not guarantee the information is accurate, and is not responsible in any way whatsoever for damages arising out of the use of this website or any of the information contained herein.

Messages posted to WFH discussion forums, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms do not represent the opinions of the World Federation of Hemophilia, its staff, or Board of Directors. The author of a message is solely responsibility for its content. Information posted on WFH social networks and platforms should never be a substitute for individualized professional medical advice, even when the author has medical qualifications or is considered an authority. Information posted to a discussion group should not be used to diagnose or treat a specific health problem without consulting a qualified healthcare professional. The WFH recommends that you contact your physician or local treatment centre if you have any individual questions or concerns.

References and links to other websites or references to other organizations, products, services, or publications do not constitute endorsement or approval by the WFH. The WFH is not responsible and assumes no liability for the content of any linked websites.

Fraud Alert

Unauthorized solicitations – Warning

The WFH has been made aware of various correspondences—circulated via e-mail and telephone—coming from individuals impersonating WFH staff or falsely stating that they are associated with the WFH. These correspondences, which may seek to obtain money using the name of someone affiliated with the WFH, are fraudulent and come from outside of our organization.

If you receive a suspicious solicitation, exercise extreme caution. In the case of an email, look at the email address to see if it looks suspicious (for example, all WFH emails come from @wfh.org).

We are asking you to remain vigilant, and if you have any doubts about the correspondence, please forward the email to the WFH at [email protected] or call +1 514-875-7944.