Beyond: Looking at the Diverse Faces of HHT

Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) is a genetic disorder that, despite being present from birth, often goes undiagnosed for many years. A common scenario involves a family member receiving a diagnosis, which then prompts others to seek testing. Even without genetic confirmation, a clinical diagnosis can be made based on characteristic symptoms.
The variability in how HHT presents, even within the same family, is a critical aspect of the disease. Siblings inheriting HHT from the same parents can exhibit vastly different symptoms and severity. For example, one individual might experience frequent and severe nosebleeds, sometimes daily and leading to hemorrhages, while another sibling may have more internal bleeding, potentially leading to more severe complications like congestive heart issues at a younger age. This highlights the unpredictable nature of HHT and the importance of individualized treatment approaches.
Our Beyond the Visible campaign characters Noah and Paige are a set of twins that lead similar lives – apart from their HHT diagnosis. While Paige shares the same red spots and nosebleeds as their dad, Noah lacks a genetic marker altogether for the disease. Paige’s spring vacation is spent in an HHT Center of Excellence bed. Noah’s is spent by her side.
And while Noah and Paige are fictional, stories like theirs are all too real.
Donna, a 69-year-old woman with HHT, recently shared how her and her siblings handle HHT:
“Though I’ve had this disease all my life, I was about 35 years old when I finally realized it. My mother was diagnosed first, and soon afterward I had a transient ischemic attack. I saw her ENT and he was able to confirm without a genetic test that I had HHT as well.
I have two brothers, one who presents and was screened for the disease and one who does not present, but was never tested. My brother and I show very different symptoms, and even though he is 12 years my junior he already has many more issues than I do. I experience frequent nosebleeds — as often as daily, and some that are considered hemorrhages — while my brother bleeds more internally.”
Access to specialized care is crucial for managing HHT. Patients often seek treatment from experts in centers dedicated to HHT. Current treatments, such as Avastin, can be effective in managing symptoms like heavy bleeding and improving hemoglobin levels. However, not all treatments work for everyone, and some patients may need to explore multiple options, including clinical trials, to find what works best for them. The ongoing pursuit of effective treatments offers hope for improved outcomes for all individuals living with HHT.
Cure HHT is on a mission to improve the quality of lives of those affected by HHT. With the generosity of our community, we are driving medical research for treating Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia forward at a rate faster than any time before.
You can make a difference this June, HHT Awareness Month, by giving to our campaign Beyond the Visible. Each donation made up to the first $100,000 will be matched!
This is very similar to me and my siblings. My son was born in 2006 and within a week of his birth he was diagnosed due to very rare complications. And resulted in removal of the bottom lobe of his left lung and removal of large avm around his heart.
This then lead to me and my father being diagnosed. However my two younger sisters do not have the genetic marker SMAD4.
We later found out that we also have juvinelle Polyposis syndrome and this is a sister condition of hht. Our nosebleeds were regular but rarely lasted more than 10-15 minutes. We all suffer with migraines very badly as well.
We are in the UK and over here it’s so hard to find doctors and specialists that know and understand what the condition is I have to carry around leaflets every time i go for appointments just in case.