Donating Blood Can Help This Health Condition
Hereditary hemochromatosis is a genetic disease that causes people to absorb too much iron from the food they eat. As this extra iron accumulates in bodily organs such as the liver, heart, and pancreas, with time it can cause more serious health conditions such as liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, hypothyroidism, and impotence. In fact, if iron overload is untreated, it can be fatal.
In most cases, treatment for this condition is very simple. It consists of periodic whole blood phlebotomy (getting your blood drawn) to remove excess iron.
If someone with hemochromatosis meets all the same criteria as other blood donors, their blood can be used to transfuse patients. Unlike other blood donation centers, no fee will be charged for the therapeutic phlebotomy even if the patient does not meet the criteria. Their blood will simply be discarded.
How To Enroll
The Therapeutic Phlebotomy Program Referral Form must be completed by the patient’s treating physician. Once we receive it, we will contact the patient to arrange for phlebotomies.
Therapeutic Phlebotomy Program Referral Form