KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., June 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The ZLB Behring Foundation for Research and Advancement of Patient Health has recently awarded funding for programs designed to benefit the bleeding disorders community. The Foundation awards grants at regular intervals throughout the year. In this cycle, nine recipients received awards. The grants support a range of initiatives, such as those that support and educate specific patient populations to research on the genetic aspect of hemophilia.
Governed by an independent Advisory Council with the sole authority to award grants, the ZLB Behring Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to charitable, scientific and educational purposes that advance the standard of care for persons affected by bleeding disorders such as hemophilia and von Willebrand Disease. Since its inception in 2001, the ZLB Behring Foundation has awarded millions of dollars in grants to the bleeding disorders community.
“We are confident that with our continued support, researchers and advocates will continue to advance the quality and standard of care for patients suffering from these rare and often debilitating disorders,” said Paul Perreault, Vice Director of the ZLB Behring Foundation. “We strongly encourage all eligible organizations and individuals to submit grant requests for consideration.”
Several of the Foundation grants awarded in this round will fund research on and educational programs for women with bleeding disorders. The National Hemophilia Foundation estimates that more than two and a half million women in the United States have an undiagnosed bleeding disorder. Women with undiagnosed bleeding disorders can often experience life-threatening complications during childbirth, surgery, accidents or injury, and are at higher risk for internal bleeding.
A grant to the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA) will help support its “Focus on the Feminine” program, an effort to educate women across the United States on the signs and symptoms of bleeding disorders. The funding will enable HFA to participate in health fairs throughout the country.
In another program funded by the ZLB Behring Foundation, Dr. Barbara Konkle of the University of Pennsylvania will research the pattern of von Willebrand factor (vWF) antigen fluctuation during pregnancy and post-partum in patients with von Willebrand Disease (vWD). This information promises to have a significant impact on the management of labor and delivery in women with vWD.
An additional grant will fund community-based, local outreach initiatives such as “Building Healthy Father-Son Relationships,” a weekend retreat intended to strengthen the bond between fathers and sons in the bleeding disorders community. The initiative, created by Inalex Communications, will teach fathers and sons how to develop a supportive, emotionally connected and trusting relationship with one another.
Other ZLB Behring Foundation grant recipients include: * Carol Kasper, MD (Pasadena, CA): Monograph on Inheritance and Other Genetic Aspects of Hemophilia. * UMDNJ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (Piscataway, NJ): Protein Z Deficiency in Women with Placental Abruption * Hemophilia of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa): Kari Atkinson: First Steps * Hemophilia Federation of Nevada (Henderson, NV): Nevada Native American Hemophilia Education/Family Support * Utah Hemophilia Foundation (Salt Lake City, UT): Group Work Works! * Commonwealth Health Center Volunteer Association (Saipan): Supporting Underserved Populations of Saipan and Tinian About the ZLB Behring Foundation
Founded in 2001 as an independent, non-profit corporation, the ZLB Behring Foundation for Research and Advancement of Patient Health is the only corporate foundation dedicated exclusively to charitable, scientific and educational purposes designed to advance the standard of care for persons affected by bleeding disorders. The ZLB Behring Foundation is governed by an Advisory Council consisting of healthcare professionals and advocates who are renowned for their dedication to the bleeding disorders community. The Advisory Council has the sole authority to award all grants.
For more information on the Foundation, visit www.zlbbehringfoundation.com.
About von Willebrand Disease
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is caused by a deficiency or abnormality of the von Willebrand factor, a protein in the blood that is necessary for normal blood clotting. Men and women are equally likely to be affected by VWD. VWD is classified by types, ranging from Type 1 (the most common and mild) to Type 3 (the most severe). VWD affects about 60 million people worldwide.
Women with VWD are more likely to experience heavy, prolonged menstruation. Other common symptoms of VWD include frequent nosebleeds and easy bruising. Bleeding can be mild or serious and can occur as a result of injury, or without any obvious cause. More serious symptoms include bleeding into joints and internal organs. The VWD patient may require special care during dental procedures, surgery and childbirth.
There is no cure for VWD, but it can be treated.
About ZLB Behring
ZLB Behring is a global leader in the plasma protein biotherapeutics industry. Its comprehensive line of therapies include products for the treatment of hemophilia and other coagulation disorders, immunoglobulins for the prevention and treatment of immune disorders, treatments that inhibit the formation of blood clots, wound-healing agents used during major surgical procedures, and plasma expanders for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as shock, burns and circulatory disorders. Additionally, ZLB Behring operates one of the world’s largest, fully-owned plasma collection networks. ZLB Behring is a subsidiary of CSL Limited, a bio-pharmaceutical company which operates worldwide from its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia.
ZLB Behring Foundation
CONTACT: Sheila A. Burke, Director, Worldwide Commercial OperationsCommunications, +1-610-878-4209, sheila.burke@zlbbehring.com; RogerBentley, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, +1-610-878-4155,roger.bentley@zlbbehring.com
Web site: http://www.zlbbehringfoundation.com/
