Hemophilia Program Patient Support and Education

The Hemophilia Program supports various patient support programs, community outreach programs, and wellbeing programs. We also provide a hemophilia support group for pediatric patients and families and a week-long summer camp program for children.

Patient support programs

Patients, families, and providers have access to a 24/7 emergency hotline, staffed by hemophilia clinical nurse specialists with backup from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) pediatric and adult hematologists. We provide written, community-based emergency plans of care for each patient.

All patients with moderate or severe hemophilia are candidates for home IV factor infusion. Currently, 90 percent of patients meeting this requirement are over 5 years of age, who self-infuse or are infused by a family member.

Community outreach and support programs

The Hemophilia Program receives federal grant money that supports community outreach such as school visits, home visits, and education of community physicians, nurses, and emergency room personnel. We provide a hemophilia support group for pediatric patients and families and a week-long summer camp for children.

For information about the Hemophilia Patient/Family Group support group at DHMC in Lebanon, NH, call Laurel McKernan, RN, at 603-650-5486.

Patient and Family Support Services programs

Dartmouth Cancer Center's Patient and Family Support Services offers a variety of free programs that enhance the well-being of patients and caregivers throughout the cancer journey.

Some of these free services include:

  • Monthly disease-specific and caregiver support groups
  • Chair massage, bodywork, and Reiki sessions
  • Healing harp music
  • Patient and Family Resource Library: a lending library with helpful books, DVDs, and videos
  • Art cart projects and "Sand Tray" art therapy
  • Writing for Healing: six-week expressive writing groups
  • Comfort Cart on wheels
  • "I Can Cope" and other American Cancer Society (ACS) co-sponsored classes
  • Newly knit caps and shawls
  • Weekend help at home from the Dartmouth College Cancer Society
  • Wig bank and wig fitting service

At DHMC, most services take place on the third floor (Hematology/Oncology) and the second floor (Radiation/Oncology). We also offer many of the same services in the inpatient unit (1 West).

Support Patient and Family Support Services programs

All of our programs are offered free of charge. They are supported by grateful patients and corporate and institutional donors. To add your support, please contact Patient Family and Support Services.

Other resources

The following websites provide information and support information related to hemophilia: