As Chair of Local Families with Bleeding Disorders (LFWBD), World Haemophilia Day is always an important moment to pause, reflect, and come together as a community. This year’s theme, “Diagnosis: The First Step to Care,” set by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH), highlights something fundamental — that without diagnosis, access to treatment, support and understanding simply cannot begin.
The WFH reminds us that more than three-quarters of people with haemophilia worldwide remain undiagnosed, with an even greater gap for other bleeding disorders. This means hundreds of thousands of individuals are still living without access to even the most basic care. It’s a powerful and sad reminder of how much more needs to be done globally.
Here in the UK, we are fortunate to have access to high standards of care and treatment. But today, we are encouraged to reflect on those who came before us, when diagnosis and treatment were far more limited, and to think of families around the world who still face those challenges today.
At LFWBD, we see every day the difference that diagnosis and support can make — not just medically, but emotionally and socially too. World Haemophilia Day is also about connection: bringing people together, sharing experiences, and supporting one another, just as we aim to do within our own community.
Today, we stand in together with families across the world, recognising how far we’ve come, while acknowledging how far there is still to go.
Together, we hope to move closer to a future where diagnosis — and care — is truly available to all.