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Passionate patient wins prize
18 March 2010
News for staff, patients and visitors at the Churchill, Horton General and John Radcliffe hospitals.
Alex Kelly, a 13 year old patient at the Oxford Haemophilia Centre, has been awarded £1500 to pursue his love of swimming by Baxter Healthcare's Advance your Passion competition. Prizes are awarded to the top three winning haemophilia patients aged 4 - 18 who explain about their passion and why it is so special to them.
In his entry Alex explained that swimming, as well as being great exercise, was a good way to build up his muscles to prevent bleeds, and as it is a non-contact sport it means he can be healthy without the risk of getting hurt.
Sharron Greatorex from Baxter Healthcare said, "Haemophilia does not mean you can't take part in sport. Alex's explanation about how swimming is not only good fun but actually helps him with his condition was not only inspiring but also a shining example to other boys living with haemophilia. Baxter is delighted to help him advance his passion. Remember, anyone with haemophilia can enter the competition, just visit the website."
Alex swims with a competitive swimming team called the Chalfont Otters, and plans to use his prize money learning how to scuba dive.
For more information about the competition visit:
What is haemophilia?
Haemophilia is a blood condition in which an essential clotting factor in blood is either partly or completely missing. This causes a person with haemophilia to bleed more than usual. Cuts and grazes are not the greatest problems, but internal bleeding into joints, muscles and soft tissues which if untreated can lead to disability.
Haemophilia is a lifelong inherited genetic condition affecting about 6,000 people in the UK. There is no cure for haemophilia; treatment is to replace the missing clotting factor with medication.
Prepared by the Media and Communications Unit
Email: media.office@orh.nhs.uk|
Tel: 01865 231471