Everyday you save lives

Throughout his childhood with hemophilia, Brian suffered injuries that were inappropriately treated by doctors who did not fully understand his disorder. Brian had a lucky encounter at age 17, when he met a Bloodworks Northwest nurse at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She referred him to the Blood Center’s Hemophilia Treatment Center (HTC).

HTC staff prescribed a regular, prophylactic dose of Factor IX, the blood clotting protein that Brian’s body lacks. Though he found it difficult at first to learn to inject himself with the medication, once he mastered it, Brian’s life improved dramatically, with no more severe bleeding episodes. He finished college, began working in the software industry, and married Thea, a Blood Center volunteer.

Now 28, Brian visits the HTC regularly for check-ups. He speaks warmly of the caring, dedicated staff. Recently, his arm was in a cast, and he was unable to inject his own medication. HTC physician Dr. Neil Josephson met him on a Saturday to inject him. “I feel that my current quality of life and well-being is greatly attributable to the care and guidance provided by the medical and support staff of the Blood Center,” says Brian. “I will continue to volunteer my time to the community they have helped me become a part of.”