Rotorua lights up red for World Haemophilia Day

Eat Street along with many other places around the city will light up red to celebrate World Haemophilia Day. Photo / File

Rotorua will be adorned in red today as the city joins people around the world to acknowledge World Haemophilia Day.

The day aims to increase public awareness of the inherited disorder which impairs the body's ability to make blood clots and other inherited bleeding disorders.

In Rotorua, areas to be lit up include Te Manawa, Night Market overhead lights, Eat Streat, the clock tower, the main council building and the main archway into the Government Gardens.

Nationwide, Auckland's Civic Theatre and Town Hall, Christchurch's airport buildings and Fanfare sculpture, Dunedin's Municipal Chambers and railway station and the Palmerston North clock tower will be lit up red.

Internationally, 70 landmarks will be lit up including Moscow's Ostankino Tower, Niagara Falls in Canada and Trafalgar Square in London.

Rotorua Lakes Council's inner city manager Richard Horn said the council was approached by the Haemophilia Foundation of New Zealand to "light the city red" for World Haemophilia Day and was more than happy to do so to help raise awareness.

It coincides with a national camp for sufferers being held in Rotorua this week.

"It was also a way to welcome those who are attending the foundation's national family camp in Rotorua to our city, and we understand they are planning a bit of an inner city tour to take in the lights."

Horn said all areas that would be lit up red were routinely lit up for other causes as well, including blue lighting for Men's Health Month in June and pink for Breast Cancer Awareness in October.

Haemophilia Foundation of New Zealand chief executive Sue Ellis said the day was to simultaneously give a thank you to sufferers' biggest supporters.

"A lack of public awareness of bleeding disorders means that families and friends must often take on a great deal of responsibility for their friends and loved ones and this very often goes unnoticed."

More than 450 people in New Zealand have the genetic condition that can cause bleeding into joints and muscles and results in painful symptoms that, over time, can damage joints.

Many more people have other inherited bleeding disorders, like von Willebrand's disease.

Haemophilia Foundation New Zealand provides support to more than 1000 people with bleeding disorders and their whānau across New Zealand.

President Deon York said: "World Haemophilia Day is an opportunity to celebrate the inspirational individuals, committed healthcare professionals, and families living with the impacts of a bleeding disorder."

Places across the city lighting it red
* Te Manawa, intersection of Tutanekai and Hinemoa Sts
* Night Market overhead lights, block between Pukuatua and Haupapa Sts
* Eat Streat, block between Pukaki and Whakaue Sts
* Clock tower, corner Arawa and Fenton Sts
* Main council building, observed from the Hinemaru St side
* Main archway into the Government gardens, Intersection of Arawa and Hinemaru Sts
* Possibly Rotorua Museum (contractors currently working on this)