Adapting to change – WHD 2021

On April 17, the global bleeding disorders community celebrates World Hemophilia Day. The past year has been especially challenging for our community, which is at greater risk from Covid-19 and heavily reliant on services that are being disrupted by the pandemic, but our patients continue to surprise us with their adaptability and resilience.

Patients like Kerri, who has von Willebrand Disease type 3, quickly realised that Covid-19 would have a long-term impact on her life and those of the patients she supports. Kerri relies on her medicines to continue doing the things she loves: “I was initially concerned about getting my medication, my factor. I was reassured that my shipments would still be coming in on time”.

Kerri is fully committed to the bleeding disorder community. Besides her job as a nurse in the antepartum and maternity departments, she is an Octapharma patient educator, working with us to encourage others living with the disease to become their own advocate, to find their voice and to speak up.

In more normal times, Kerri would be travelling across the US to speak at community events hosted by Octapharma, meeting directly with patients. Today, affected by COVID-19 restrictions like the rest of us, her current work location is her living room. “The bleeding disorder community has adapted really well to online events and conferences, and meeting online could be the way we continue to connect even after the pandemic, as it brings people together, no matter their location."