ITP Awareness Week: UCB proud to support global ITP community

Blair Robertson, Patient Value Unit Neurology
Posted by
Blair Robertson, Patient Value Unit Neurology
23-Sep-2019
 
Given it is sometimes referred to as an ‘invisible illness’, it might not come as a surprise that Immune Thrombocytopenia, or ITP as it is commonly known, often receives little public attention. A frequently debilitating condition, ITP is a rare, autoimmune disease affecting around 10 in every 100,000 people across the world, often in very different ways.

UCB is very excited to help shine a light on ITP by supporting the International ITP Alliance to spread the word about Global ITP Awareness Week (September 23 – 27, 2019). This global movement aims to provide a voice to people living with ITP and create a deeper understanding of ITP around the world.

In people living with ITP, their body mounts an attack to destroy healthy blood cells or ‘platelets’ resulting in wide-ranging symptoms including severe fatigue, bruising that may never go away, and spontaneous nose or gum bleeding, heavy menstrual bleeding and increased risk for life-threatening bleeds.

Due to fatigue and the increased risk of bleeding, ITP can be significantly life-limiting, where patients are unable to participate in things that mean the most to them, such as their careers, hobbies, and spending time with those they care about. As such, people living with ITP may become isolated and depressed, lose self-confidence, and be embarrassed by aspects of their ITP.

UCB is very proud to be working alongside the global ITP community - during this awareness week and beyond - to share and learn more about real-world experiences and perspectives of people and healthcare professionals living with and managing ITP every day.

We’ve created an infographic to help broaden and improve understanding of this often-hidden condition. You too can help spread awareness of ITP by taking a look at the infographic and sharing it here.

As a leading global biopharmaceutical company, with a rich heritage in developing immunotherapeutic solutions to support patients living with severe and chronic conditions, UCB is committed to applying our science, passion and knowledge and to working closely with the global ITP community to help improve outcomes and experiences for people around the world living with this condition.

Find more resources and ideas about how to support ITP Awareness Week on the International ITP Alliance website www.globalitp.org.
 
Tags:
ITP ITP awareness week
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Comment:
Posted by Annie Leib, 26 September 2019

Wow this looks incredible. UCB has always been on my radar. What an awful disease that is.

Comment:
Posted by Anthony Heard, 29 September 2019

Thank you for supporting the ITP September awareness campaign. As an ITP sufferer myself for over 13 years, I certainly appreciate that one of the main problems was actually knowing what the illness was. Like most sufferers I had never heard of our enigmatic condition before I was diagnosed with it. I had actually been suffering from unexplained bruising and fatigue for a bout a year before I finally went to my doctor to be checked out. I had a platelet count of 4 on that day and had no idea that I was in serious danger. So Knowing what the key symptoms are and having a good understanding of what to look for are so important. Anything that we can do to inform others is hugely important.It may even save a life.