Today is World Hemophilia Day

World Hemophilia Day is an international observance held annually on April 17 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH).

It is an awareness day for hemophilia and other bleeding disorders, which also serves to raise funds and attract volunteers for the WFH. It was started in 1989; April 17 was chosen in honor of WFH founder Frank Schnabel's birthday.

The World Federation of Hemophilia and the global community have worked together, for the past 50 years, to improve care and treatment for inherited bleeding disorders. World Hemophilia Day 2013 will take on a special significance as '50 Years of Advancing Treatment for All' is marked.

Hemophilia may cause bleeding which can damage human organs and tissues and may be life threatening.

It is usually inherited which means that the disorder is passed from parents to children through genes. The two main types of hemophilia are A and B. If you have hemophilia A, you're missing or have low levels of clotting factor VIII. About 9 out of 10 people who have hemophilia have type A. If you have hemophilia B, you're missing or have low levels of clotting factor IX.