17th April 2007, World Haemophilia Day – A new web resource for people with haemophilia, their carers and healthcare professionals was launched today with an innovative fund-raising campaign that aims to get more UK youngsters with haemophilia involved in sports.

Sports can provide a real benefit to people with haemophilia, a lifelong condition that affects the blood’s ability to clot, which can lead to joint problems.

EVERY CLICK COUNTS, which pledges money based on the numbers of visitors to the site, will establish a fund to offer grants for lessons, equipment, training camps and activity days. It marks the launch of the new www.Haemophiliacare.co.uk website, sponsored by Baxter Healthcare Ltd, which aims to provide a detailed source of information and support on a wide variety of everyday topics as well as offering an e-update service to enable visitors to keep in touch with what’s going on in the world of haemophilia.

Dr Paul Giangrande, World Federation of Hemophilia Vice President, Medical and Co-Centre Director, Churchill Hospital, Oxford will fire off the first email to announce the campaign.

He said: “The fund will provide a real benefit to patients in the UK living with haemophilia and to highlight just how important physical activity is to maintain the strength in their joints, which can help to prevent spontaneous bleeds and maintain flexibility.

It fits perfectly with the theme for World Haemophilia Day 2007, ‘Improve Your Life!’, which is focussed on raising awareness of the importance of physical therapy and exercise for those with haemophilia.”

As well as supporting individuals, the sports fund will help to sponsor group activities organised by local haemophilia centres, enabling younger children and teenagers with haemophilia to meet up with one another and try new, more exciting sports.

Kate Khair, Nurse Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital commented: “The fund will allow us to organise activity days, which we’ve never been able to support before.

will allow the children to experiment with new sports that they might not be able to try unsupervised, like skiing, and it’s also a great opportunity for them to get together.”

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