Over the past 55 years, GHA has been at the forefront of advocacy, education, and support for our community. Our mission has remained steadfast: to enhance the quality of life for those affected by hemophilia and bleeding disorders through education, outreach, and access to care.
In 1969 the Bi-State Hemophilia Association was incorporated. In the late 80s it was changed to The Greater St. Louis Hemophilia Association until 3/19/99 when it was changed to Gateway Hemophilia Association. GHA serves over 265 households in southern Illinois and eastern Missouri. Those households make up approximately 28% of Von Willebrand Disorder households, 61% hemophilia households and another 11% who define as other bleeding disorders or haven’t defined.
As we celebrate this milestone, we are excited about the future. We are committed to evolving our programs and services to meet the changing needs of our community. In the coming months, we will be gathering feedback from our stakeholders, supporters, and the community we serve.
This year at FEW we asked for feedback on changing the name to be more inclusive of the people we serve, including those with von Willebrand disease, rare factor deficiencies, and platelet disorders. Although hemophilia will remain a major focus of GHA, a new name ensures that the organization and the community is inclusive of all people living with hemophilia, VWD and rare deficiencies.
Feel free to submit your response below.
