National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month

PLANO, Texas - July 2, 2013 - PRLog -- PLANO, TX (July 2, 2013) – July is National Hemochromatosis Awareness Month and the nonprofit Hemochromatosis Information Society (HIS) is excited to announce a new public awareness campaign.  The Hemochromatosis Rural Awareness Campaign is a project to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) poster for distribution to rural doctors’ offices, hospitals, and clinics.  One of the many benefits of a poster campaign is that posters can be used in a variety of locations to reach people who may not have access to or regularly access the Internet.  Posters are capable of conveying an unforgettable message immediately and have proven to be successful at increasing public awareness.  The poster is being designed by students of the Art Institute of Dallas and will feature a “Get Tested” theme.  Once the design competition is complete, HIS plans to print and distribute over 1,000 posters.  In order to raise the money needed for the campaign, HIS has created a project (www.rockethub.com/28234) on the crowdfunding website RocketHub.com.      

Jason Edwards, the founder of HIS, is excited about this latest public awareness campaign.   “Access to information concerning the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of hereditary hemochromatosis by rural communities is limited.  I think this campaign will greatly increase awareness of hemochromatosis in rural communities,” he said.  “I also think that RocketHub is a great tool for helping fund this project.”  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are more than one million people in the United States that have the gene mutation that can cause hereditary hemochromatosis.  Yet it is almost unheard of by the general public, and many health professionals are insufficiently aware of it.  

Founded in August 2003, The Hemochromatosis Information Society (HIS) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote public awareness about the genetic disorder hereditary hemochromatosis.  HIS helps inform the public about the existence and prevalence of hemochromatosis and the related dangers of iron overload.  We strive to reduce the number of health problems and deaths associated with hemochromatosis.  In essence, we work to save lives by informing the public.

Hemochromatosis is a genetic disorder in which the human body accumulates excess amounts of iron. Hemochromatosis is inherited and is not contagious.  The over accumulation of iron may result in serious adverse health affects, including arthritis, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes, heart disease, and liver cancer. HIS maintains a website www.hemoinfo.org, as an avenue to disseminate information concerning hereditary hemochromatosis.  In addition, HIS has developed a database containing the names and locations of facilities that offer services to patients.  This information is made available to the general public via the website.