Haemochromatosis: it's genetic, hereditary, international, and treatable, but more awareness needed

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The 1st to the 7th of June is International Haemochromatosis Awareness Week!

Q. What is the world's most prevalent genetic killer? 
A. Genetic haemochromatosis, a.k.a. hereditary hemochromatosis or HH for short.

Q. Why is HH a problem?
A. It can cause you body to accumulate too much iron, a harmful condition called iron overload.

Q. Can HH be cured? 
A. No. It is a genetic condition.

Q. Can HH be treated?
A. Yes! There are ways to remove excess iron safely, at little to no cost.

A person with the genetic defect that causes HH can live a fairly normal, healthy life IF the condition is diagnosed early and treated appropriately. That is why organizations have been formed, all around the world, to advocate for prompt HH diagnosis and proper treatment for all those affected.

One of those organizations is Haemochromatosis UK, of which I am proud to be a member now that I live in the UK. When I lived in America I supported Iron Disorders Institute, the source of the original Hemochromatosis Cookbook by Cheryl Garrison, and many other excellent publication. (FYI, I don't have HH, but my partner does.)

Haemochromatosis UK is putting on a bunch of events for Haemochromatosis Awareness Week. I am particularly excited about the new Pass it On Pack for families that is being launched on Wednesday the 3rd in Birmingham (just a short train ride from Coventry, where I live). The Pass it On Pack is a specialized family support resource provided by Haemochromatosis UK to help families discuss genetic haemochromatosis (GH) risks. It includes educational guides and family-friendly resources to help navigate health risks and encourage relatives to get tested. (I will update links here and all over social media as soon as they are live.)

Here's a link for more about International Haemochromatosis Awareness Week in the UK.

For more about HH, check this page and this excellent collection of videos on YouTube.

Finally: learning more about HH and sharing what you know with others can only help reduce the needless pain and suffering that this condition causes. As a reminder, here are the main problems HH produces, according to patients and experts:




Location: Coventry, UK

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