HealthTree Blog

July is National Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) Awareness Month, and local blood banks should be thrilled!

Two of the nation’s largest independent blood centers–LifeSource and Central Blood Bank–certainly have reason to be. They are using the significance of this month to boost their blood supply by reaching out to the HH population.

HH is a hereditary condition which causes the body to produce excessive amounts of iron. Quite often, those with HH are unaware of the condition until the ages of 40-50, at which point much of the body’s organs have already suffered some damage. If detected early, however, such internal damage can be avoided with regular blood draws. Blood draws help to decrease iron levels in the bloodstream by removing the iron-rich blood and allowing the body to create a new supply in its place.

If blood draws are conducted in a clinical setting, the blood is discarded. However, such blood is typically of good quality, and could have been donated were it taken at a blood bank instead. (The FDA recently determined that the blood of HH patients was eligible for donation).

If you have HH, consider heading to your local blood bank instead of your doctor’s office for regular treatments.

If you aren’t sure if you have HH but want to know, consider getting a genetic test.