Hopelessness to Normalcy
The Remarkable History of Hemophilia Care in Canada
by Man-Chiu Poon and Robert T. Card

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Hopelessness to Normalcy takes readers on a compelling journey through the evolution of hemophilia care in Canada, providing a detailed and personal account of its many transformations—good, bad, and disastrous. Drawing on over fifty years of experience, respected hematologists Dr. Man-Chiu Poon and Dr. Robert T. Card combine firsthand insights with interviews from more than seventy healthcare professionals and patients to tell the captivating, in-depth story of hemophilia care in Canada. Through rigorous research and deeply personal perspectives, Hopelessness to Normalcy not only traces the history of hemophilia treatment in Canada, but also underscores the importance of evolving care practices, the development of allied healthcare professional groups, and the enduring compassion that has sustained those living with bleeding disorders through unspeakable adversity. This book delves into the trauma and tragedy of the "tainted blood era" of the 1980s, a time when unsafe blood products caused devastation to many. Yet it also highlights the resilience of the hemophilia care community, from the formation of the Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada (AHCDC) in 1994 to the hope that now exists for a potential cure. This invaluable resource is a must-read for hemophilia clinic directors, healthcare professionals, patients, and anyone with an interest in the history of healthcare, blood disorders, and the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS. It is a moving and insightful record of struggle, survival, and hope.

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Dr. Man-Chiu Poon Dr. Poon is past medical director of the hemophilia programs in Calgary. He has been a passionate advocate for patient care, education, and research over a career spanning more than 50 years. His many contributions to the evolution of hemophilia treatment over this time have been internationally recognized. Man-Chiu witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of the 1980s HIV/AIDS crisis and how the hemophilia community worked together in forging subsequent progress. Dr. Robert T. Card Dr. Bob Card is a retired academic hematologist whose career spanned more than five decades. He actively managed persons with hemophilia from when only plasma was available until therapies were offering hope for an eventual cure. He was active in various national hemophilia bodies before and after the devastating HIV/AIDS crisis. Throughout his career Dr. Card played a major role in developing the hemophilia clinic in Saskatoon which evolved into the Saskatchewan Bleeding Disorders Program. For complete author biographies, please see the Biographies section at the end of Hopelessness to Normalcy.

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Contributors

Author

Man-Chiu Poon

Author

Robert T. Card