You Help People Meet Challenges During Times of Uncertainty

In times of greatest uncertainty, individuals and their families turn to Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation (GLHF) for the information and resources they need to understand and live with their bleeding disorder. Every year people throughout Wisconsin’s bleeding disorders community face hardships related to managing their condition. From life-changing education, protection from adversities related to policies that influence daily living, and freedom from additional financial burdens, here are some ways you make a difference.

You Allow Children to Feel Less Isolated

Brooke loved Family Camp! She stepped out of her bubble. She didn’t want to hike, canoe, or try new things, and then came camp.  Her mother said, “It was like she blossomed. She made so many friends, and had so much fun.”

By supporting Family Camp and Camp Klotty Pine, you enable kids with hemophilia to feel more like their friends. You encourage them to safely try new things. As they learn to self-infuse their clotting factor during camp, you help them on their way toward managing their condition for a lifetime.

Resources that keep people with bleeding disorders free from isolation and misunderstanding cost much more than the amount our clients are able to pay. To sustain current programs and develop new ones that are relevant to a diverse range of ages and needs,

GLHF invests 7 to 10 times more than the nominal fee we charge for our programs.

This investment is made possible through the ongoing support of companies, foundations and individuals like you.

You Strengthen a Network of Support 

Unless you know someone with a bleeding disorder, it’s hard to imagine the impact hemophilia would have on your life. Clients of all ages attending GLHF programs become part of a network where everyone faces the same types of challenges. Managing everyday life circumstances becomes a little easier as they learn from one another.

Family members who’ve attended our annual educational conference have said:

“GLHF has helped us go from knowing absolutely nothing to knowing quite a bit more. GLHF’s educational programs have opened our eyes to a whole new world. A world where we’ve been able to forge many new and exciting friends.”

“Without GLHF in our lives, we would not be able to afford our grandson’s medicine. Nor would we be able to purchase his medic alert bracelet. Thank you – you aid in doing this!” 

You Ease Financial Hardships

This is our new normal is a reflection frequently conveyed by families after they’ve come to terms with their child’s bleeding disorder diagnosis. You help people manage the new normal of daily life with hemophilia, von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders.

The financial burden of this chronic disease is extreme:

• For a six-year old child, one infusion treatment out of the hundreds he or she will receive in a year will cost $600.
• For adults, the cost is $2,000 per injection.
• 33% of adults with bleeding disorders have one emergency room visit and an average of 2.8 hospital admissions annually.

Your gifts support scholarships that help with career advancement for sustainable income as well as traditional educational opportunities. You also help individuals through our Patient Financial Assistance (PFA) program when emergencies arise. For example, at age 52, one of our clients didn’t yet qualify for local or federal senior services programs. Facing financial difficulties, he approached GLHF for assistance with late rent payments. GLHF worked with his HTC social worker, landlord and family members to negotiate his back rent and late fees, and start the process of applying for other care programs. With GLHF’s support, he was able to keep his housing and get help with his case management and financial needs going forward.

The act of caring for oneself gives people a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence that is hard to get any other way.