Thread by @StephenMcGann

🧵 This week is Haemochromatosis Awareness Week, and I’d like to tell you a bit about this surprisingly common genetic condition and why we should be aware of it. First, please watch this quick film (It has me being messy with my blood!)/1
@IronOverloadUK

Genetic Haemochromatosis, commonly known as ‘Iron Overload’, is a condition where the body retains too much Iron. This can produce varied symptoms and lead to serious problems. So it’s important to catch it early. /2

My other half Heidi, who writes #CallTheMidwife, had a relative affected by it. In series 9, she featured the story of Florrie – a mum who displays strange symptoms of liver disease. Dr Turner eventually diagnoses Haemochromatosis. /3 radiotimes.com/tv/drama/haemo…

As a genetic disease. Iron Overload can’t be cured, but it can be controlled very simply. The affected person has blood taken from them regularly, which rebalances the iron in their system. /4 nhs.uk/conditions/hae….

So who gets it, and how? Genetic Haemochromatosis is a recessive disorder, which means that the great majority of those affected have a particular gene mutation passed down from BOTH their mum and their dad /5 haemochromatosis.org.uk/genetics-of-ha…

Many people carry one copy of the gene variant in their DNA and never know it. Yet if they parent a child with someone else who ALSO carries the gene variant, then their child can be affected. /6

These gene variants are surprisingly common amongst those people living in the UK and Ireland – and the condition has sometimes been called ‘the Celtic Curse’, although you DON'T have to have celtic heritage to get it... /7

Last year, Heidi and I became patrons of a wonderful charity called Haemochromatosis UK (haemochromatosis.org.uk) in order to help raise awareness of this common, serious, treatable, but too-often unseen condition. /8

As part of their fine work, HUK have developed a home testing kit which can be sent off for screening of the genetic variants one may carry for the condition. /9 haemochromatosis.org.uk/genetic-testin…

As you saw in the short film, Heidi and I were delighted to take part in the test ourselves on camera, and we duly sent off our samples for analysis. As Heidi’s family had shown the condition before, we expected that she may test positive... /10

So imagine my surprise when the results came back. Heidi didn’t carry the variant... but I did! I’m a carrier of one of the gene variants for Haemochromatosis, inherited from one of my parents. If Heidi HAD tested positive, our child may have been at risk. /11

But as with all these things, knowledge is power. Treatment works, but we need to screen for it – not something that’s commonly done. To find out more, please do contact those excellent peeps at Haemochromatosis UK haemochromatosis.org.uk
Thanks for listening!! xx /END