"Blood Detectives" documentary on Discovery Health Friday 12/19/08

Blood Detectives, an hour-long documentary, will air on Discovery Health this Friday, December 19, 2008, at 7:00 PM ET/PT and again at 12:00 AM ET/PT. This program, from Peabody-award winning filmmaker Joseph Lovett, the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the National Institutes of Health, looks at blood diseases. It profiles a diverse group of patients, including:

• Alexandria, a 17-year-old girl with sickle cell anemia who suffered a “silent stroke”
• Ezra, age 6, who almost died in infancy due to severe, life-threatening anemia
• Rebecca, a healthy woman in her mid-30s whose blood-clotting disorder places both her and her unborn baby at risk

The documentary is a centerpiece of a national awareness campaign called "Blood, the Vital Connection." Its goal is to help Americans to learn about symptoms and treatment of potentially life-threatening blood-related conditions. You can watch the trailer for the program and learn more about blood diseases at the campaign Web site.

Photo courtesy National Institutes of Health