March 2025: Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month

WHEREAS, this designation will formalize and expand upon the federal designation of March 1986 as “Hemophilia Awareness Month” and in 2016 when the entirety of the bleeding disorders community came together to incorporate all bleeding disorders; and,

WHEREAS, the federal Department of Health and Human Services designated March 2016 as National Bleeding Disorders Month; and,

WHEREAS, bleeding disorders, which share the inability to form a proper blood clot, are characterized by extended bleeding after injury, surgery, trauma, or menstruation and can lead to significant morbidity and be fatal if not treated effectively; and,

WHEREAS, many individuals with hemophilia became infected with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1980s due to contamination of the blood supply and blood products; and,

WHEREAS, Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month in Michigan will generate greater awareness and understanding of not only hemophilia but all heritable bleeding disorders, including von Willebrand disease and rare bleeding disorders that affect millions of individuals around the world; and,

WHEREAS, this awareness month will bring light to the great scientific achievements in the treatment of bleeding disorders, for which there are no cure, and the greater pursuit of advanced therapies and cures for these disorders; and,

WHEREAS, the bleeding disorders community’s relationships with policymakers have fostered numerous medical and policy advancements beneficial to all those affected by bleeding disorders and their loved ones; and,

WHEREAS, Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month will foster a greater sense of community and shared purpose among individuals with heritable bleeding disorders; and,

WHEREAS, this awareness month will elevate awareness of and engagement in the heritable bleeding disorders journey beyond our community to the general public, enabling the prevention of illness, unnecessary procedures, and disability;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim March 2025 as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month in Michigan.