Cobus ‘The Viking’ Visser is raising awareness about World Haemophilia Day and how the blood disorder affects the lives of South Africans.
Centurion, South Africa (14 April 2023) – There are many diseases and disorders that affect South Africans and each deserves a day in the light. The 17th of April 2023 is World Haemophilia Day. According to the World Federation of Haemophilia (WFH) around 2 300 people in South Africa have been diagnosed with some form of haemophilia; it is estimated that another 15 000 around the country are undiagnosed.
One of the people diagnosed with the slow-clotting blood disorder is a South African author, speaker, trainer, facilitator, life coach and firewalking instructor, Cobus Visser, who was diagnosed with haemophilia as a child. Through his own struggles with the disorder, Cobus has become an advocate in South Africa, aiming to raise awareness.
“Haemophilia and related bleeding disorders are lifelong chronic conditions for which there are no cures. They affect a person’s ability to clot blood, which can turn a minor trauma that wouldn’t ordinarily be cause for concern, such as bump or a visit to the dentist, into a potentially life-threatening event,” explains Cobus. “Unfortunately, because haemophilia is so rare, it often gets overlooked.”
Cobus had his own health scares over the years, living in constant pain and in 2013, he found himself in the hospital, unable to move. He has pushed himself to fight back against his body and even accomplished climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on crutches in 2018.
“When I was born, the life expectancy of people with haemophilia was 11 years,” says Cobus. “Thanks to advances in medicine and technology, there is now an aging population of haemophiliacs around the globe. As we get older, we and our loved ones face a new set of challenges. My goal is to highlight the impact of haemophilia on those affected, and to serve as advocate for patients, families and caregivers who manage life with the condition.”
Cobus is a member of and advocates for the South African Haemophilia Foundation. On World Haemophilia Day he wants to encourage South Africans to educate themselves about the condition by visiting https://haemophilia.org.za/.
The foundation raises awareness, provides educational material for those wanting to learn more and offers support to families dealing with the disorder. The foundation also helps people with other blood disorders, such as von Willebrand’s and at least eight other coagulation disorders that branch off of haemophilia.
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