Simple blood test that could save lives

Published 1 Apr 2010 11:16

Helensburgh man has too much iron in his blood

A HELENSBURGH man who suffers from a potentially life-threatening condition is calling for EVERYONE to be tested in a bid to save thousands of lives each year.

Charles Ward was diagnosed with haemochromatosis last year and admitted that at the time, it was touch and go whether he would survive.

He said it remains a relatively unknown condition, and in fact he found out about the condition through research on the internet, yet it is one of the most common genetic disorder.

And because of this, he wants to raise awareness, saying that everyone in society should be tested for the condition because if it remains untreated it can be fatal.

Haemochromatosis, Charles explained, is an excessive build up of iron in the blood that the body cannot discharge.

Such was the ferocity of his condition when diagnosed, he had to attend the Vale of Leven Hospital each week to have at least a pint of blood removed at a time, leaving him physically and emotionally drained.

"It was really frightening at first because all the research that we did on the internet only led to one conclusion - you will die.

"But the biggest threat is remaining undiagnosed, because it just builds up in your system and eventually your body shuts down because it just can't cope."

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This article appeared in Helensburgh Advertiser 01 Apr 10

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