Guests from Malta inspired by Youth Camp

Written by Sam Wilson, August 5, 2024

This year at Youth Camp we were delighted to be joined by a family from Malta who hope that a similar event can take place for children with bleeding disorders in their country next year.

Jake, 13, has haemophilia B with inhibitors and is the only teenager with the condition in Malta. Joining our Youth Camp in Staffordshire in July was the first time he’d met young people of a similar age with the same condition.

Our Youth Camp, which is open to young people aged between nine and 15 with a bleeding disorder and their siblings, is one of our most popular events. It offers our younger members the chance to be independent for a few days, to test themselves by trying new activities, and to meet others who understand what they are going through.

Jake’s parents, Ivan and Jacqueline, also joined camp as volunteers and enjoyed talking to other parents, staff and health professionals about living with a bleeding disorder. They explained that being at Youth Camp helped them feel less isolated.

They were visiting as part of a four-year twinning project between the Haemophilia Society and the Malta Bleeding Disorders Society (MBDS) which has been facilitated and supported by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH).

There are about 100 people living with a genetic bleeding disorder in Malta and many do not have access to the most up-to-date treatment and care.

Our public affairs and policy team are working with the MBDS board to improve access to treatment and care for people with bleeding disorders in Malta. As part of the twinning programme we are helping them develop an engagement strategy for key decision makers in the health ministry. We are using state of the art data collection tools to evidence the levels of unmet need and show how to improve quality of life for people with bleeding disorders and their families. 

The team will next visit Malta in September when our Youth Ambassadors will host a workshop for members of the MBDS on how to advocate for the best treatment and care. Jeff Courtney, our Policy and Public Affairs Manager, will give a presentation to MBDS trustees about working effectively with government and the health service.

Eight members of Team THS will take part in a fundraising swim between the islands of Gozo and Malta on 21 September. The money raised will go towards running a youth camp in Malta in summer 2025.

You can sponsor #TeamTHS here