VHF community member, Kimberly Wilt, got the Mayor of Middletown, VA to declare March as Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month (BDAM.)
For March I wanted to step out of my comfort zone, and I asked the Mayor of Middletown for a proclamation declaring March Bleeding Awareness Month. I honestly didn’t think I would get a response, but he reached out to me and invited me to attend the next council meeting on April 8, 2024, to do a little presentation. I accepted.
It turned out to be the longest council meeting ever! They had a disagreement about zoning that lasted an hour, but the room was full when I went up to present about Proclaiming Bleeding Disorder Awareness Month. I shared our story about how hard it was for us to get a diagnosis originally and our ongoing struggles with managing Giselle’s nosebleeds. I advised the board and the general public that attended if they needed or wanted more information, they could do so on the website Betteryouknow.org. The council and Mayor all voted in favor of Proclaiming March as Bleeding Awareness Month going forward.
A bonus was the chairman of the parade committee was attending the meeting and she is a nurse who shared her story that she had only met 2 individuals was Jewish decent with VWD and they had discovered that when they tried circumcision at home (Ouch). She asked if I would like to be in the 4th of July and Christmas parades to spread awareness about bleeding disorders. Giselle and I usually are in the girl scouts float but I’m sure I can come up with something for a Bleeding Awareness Float.
