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Pittsburgh, March 1, 2017 – More than three million Americans have a bleeding disorder—such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease or rare factor deficiencies—which: prevents their blood from clotting normally; can result in extended bleeding after injury, surgery or trauma; and can be fatal if not treated effectively. On March 1st, the first day of Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, the Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation (WPCNHF) and the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) will launch the 2017 Red Tie Challenge, which challenges individuals to support WPCNHF and NHF in the fight against bleeding disorders by making a donation and getting creative in wearing a red tie. The “red tie” was introduced as the official symbol of the bleeding disorders community in 2016.
“For over 50 years, WPCNHF has been leading the fight against bleeding disorders in Western Pennsylvania and, in partnership with NHF—the largest nongovernment funder of research awards, fellowships and grants—we have advanced the standard of care and the quality of life for our community,” said Alison Yazer, WPCNHF’s Executive Director. “To ensure our research, education and advocacy initiatives continue to have maximum impact, we are focusing the 2017 Red Tie Challenge on fundraising and, this year, challenge-takers will have the option of donating directly to WPCNHF.”
According to Alison Yazer, taking the Red Tie Challenge is as easy as 1-2-3:
- Make a donation at org.
- Get a red tie, then record and share your best red tie style with #RedTieChallenge.
- Challenge your friends to join you in the fight against bleeding disorders.
Red Tie Challenge microsite and PSA debut
An enhanced microsite—RedTieChallenge.org—serves as the Red Tie Challenge movement’s official home on the web. It features a public service announcement, a donation portal, a #RedTieChallenge tracker, an infographic, and downloadable materials for use by students and schools in Western Pennsylvania to bring the Red Tie Challenge into the classroom and raise funds for WPCNHF’s initiatives.
Acknowledging the sponsors of the Red Tie Challenge
WPCNHF wishes to thank the bleeding disorders community and the following companies and organizations for making the Red Tie Challenge possible: Shire, Pfizer, Bayer, Novo Nordisk, CSL Behring, Genentech and The Hemophilia Alliance.
About bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders, a group of disorders that share the inability to form a proper blood clot, include hemophilia, von Willebrand disease (VWD) and rare factor disorders. They are characterized by extended bleeding after injury, surgery, trauma or menstruation. Improper clotting can be caused by defects in blood components such as platelets and/or clotting proteins, also called clotting factors. Currently there are no cures for bleeding disorders and treatment for these conditions varies, depending on their severity. For some bleeding disorders, there are clotting factor concentrates that can be infused prophylactically or on-demand at home, to prevent or treat bleeds. To learn more, visit wpcnhf.org.
About WPCNHF
The Western Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation is a nonprofit consumer advocacy and service organization founded in the 1950’s and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1976.
WPCNHF serves families with bleeding disorders in 26 counties of Western Pennsylvania. Membership is free for people with bleeding disorders. We provide patient assistance to our members with bleeding disorders as well as hold a variety of educational events that cover a wide range of topics. Because bleeding disorders impact nearly every area of our members lives, we strive to provide relevant and timely information about everything from raising affected children to dealing with financial stress to joint health and treatment concerns and much more.
Additional information on WPCNHF can be found at wpcnhf.org.
About NHF
NHF (the National Hemophilia Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for inheritable bleeding disorders and to preventing the complications of these disorders through education, advocacy and research. Established in 1948, NHF has 54 chapters throughout the United States. Our programs and initiatives are made possible through the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations, as well as through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additional information on NHF and bleeding disorders can be found at www.hemophilia.org/.