At eight days old, Byron was diagnosed with severe hemophilia A, a rare condition that affects 1 in 5,000 males. He is missing a protein in his blood - factor VIII - so his blood is unable to clot on its own. Bruises and bumps are frequent and more pronounced than on most kids. But our greater concern is bleeding we don’t see in his muscles and joints. These bleeds can cause irreparable, lifelong damage if left untreated.

There is no cure for hemophilia and he won’t outgrow it. Currently, his treatment plan involves twice weekly IV factor VIII infusions at home. His treatment plan has evolved as he has aged. He started with weekly trips to the University of Iowa Children's Hospital for his factor VIII infusion, then moved to twice weekly visits from a home nurse. If B took a big fall or hit, we'd head to the ER or Iowa City for treatment. Today Byron's mom and dad can infuse him at home without help; something that has truly been life-changing for his family.

Team BDVIII is raising funds through the Unite Walk to support Byron and Hemophilia of Iowa, a non-profit organization that has been incredibly supportive since we received B’s diagnosis. Every dollar stays within the bleeding disorders community and supports critical initiatives such as funding research to find better treatments, educating medical providers on the latest innovations and care, ensuring families have access to quality healthcare and providing access to the best educational resources available. These funds also help send young people with hemophilia in Iowa to summer camp, where they befriend other kids with bleeding disorders and learn to treat on their own. We can't thank you enough for your support and taking the time to learn about our journey!