Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH)
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Giving blood to save a life. Your own.

Patrick Wade, HH Patient: "I had been having some symptoms that were sort of generalized and I went to my primary care physician and initially it was strange because she thought maybe I was anemic."

Patrick Wade was tired, sometimes dizzy. He was anything but anemic ... instead tests showed he had too much iron in his blood ... a condition known as hemochromatosis or HH.

Tammy Basile: "Untreated you can have some really serious liver and heart problems."

But coming here to donate blood, Patrick gets his treatment and some. He not only redcues iron levels for himself, he offers the life serum for three other people.

Tammy Basile, Public Relations Manager, LifeSource: "One pint of blood is divided into platelets, plasma and red cells. That means your one blood donation can go to help three different people."

Many people with HH simply have their blood drawn ... but they don't donate.

Tammy Basile: "If the blood is not donated at Lifesource it's wasted, it goes to waste."

One in 200 people have hemochromotosis and many don't even know. HH is both hereditary and helpful.

Patrick Wade: "It's nice to know that if someone actually is in danger, life threatening situation maybe it'll help so that's good too."

Patrick comes to LifeSource once a month ... as his condition progressses he may need even more blood draws. But he says he feels good and there's no drawback to helping out while taking out the threat to his own health.

Patrick Wade: "Certainly if people are having symptoms that they, that is impacting their life try and get answers about it because you never know what it could be. It could be nothing, it could be something."

Tammy Basile: "HH is a real win-win situation, the HH donor gets free treatment, the blood goes to the community blood supply and saves lives and we're also helping to lower healthcare costs."

Ask your doctor about genetic testing for HH. And if you know you have it, consider a LifeSource donation.