ANN ARBOR, Mich., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Up to two and a half million American women may have a bleeding disorder they have never heard of. It's called von Willebrand disease, or V-W-D, and is more common than multiple sclerosis, cystic fibrosis, lupus and Lou Gehrig's disease combined. Every year 30,000 women in the U.S. have a hysterectomy due to heavy menstrual bleeding, but many of these women may have a bleeding disorder controllable without surgery. An alarming 91 percent of women have never heard of V-W-D, according to "Women and Bleeding Disorders," a recent Harris Interactive national survey. Yet, one-third of those surveyed report having "heavy" periods, the number one "red flag" symptom of the bleeding disorder. The survey was commissioned for Project Red Flag, an awareness campaign created by the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), to educate women and their doctors about V-W-D.
"The Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan has worked collaboratively with NHF to make information available to those with bleeding disorders, and particularly those women who suffer with this little known disease, von Willebrand's," said Ivan C. Harner, Executive Director.
The Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan (HFM) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all those affected by hemophilia and hereditary bleeding disorders and related complications including HIV infection and AIDS, through the support of individual, family and community services; education; health care; advocacy and research with the ultimate goal of finding a cure.
For more information, contact the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan at 800-482-3041.
Hemophilia Foundation of MichiganCONTACT: Ivan C. Harner, Executive and Regional Director of HemophiliaFoundation of Michigan, +1-734-332-4226, ext. 26, harner@hfmich.org
Web site: http://www.hfmich.org/