Disruptive Blood – Hemophilia A

In the U.S., about 33,000 men have hemophilia, a genetic disorder that prevents blood from clotting. When it comes to hemophilia A, the most common type of the disease, the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation claims more than half of cases have a severe form of the condition.

Sean, a public school teacher in Escondido, California, was born with severe hemophilia A in the 1980s at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. For him, growing up with a bleeding disorder meant he couldn’t participate in many of the outdoor activities his friends were doing.

In this episode, Medical Stories catches up with Sean, now a 38-year-old husband and father of three girls, one of which inherited the disorder. But Sean explains how advances in medicine have instilled hope for a better future, while also highlighting the need for improved treatments and care for the hemophilia community.

This episode also features in-depth commentary from renowned expert Annette von Drygalski, MD, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Director of the Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders, UCSD.