Qashnin, a patient of hemophilia, proudly shows his bachelor's degree which he recently received after he diligently resolved to pursue his studies. Saudi GazetteGraduating from university is indeed a noteworthy feat, but graduating with hemophilia is truly a remarkable accomplishment. Fahad Saeed Al-Qashnin is a young boy who suffers from hemophilia, yet with his hard work and determination, he persevered throughout school and university and accomplished his dreams. He is ecstatic as he recently received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration and his family is proud beyond words. Hemophilia, also knows as ‘bleeder's disease' is a serious disorder that impairs the body's ability to control blood clotting and blood takes an abnormally long time to clot, resulting in profuse and prolonged bleeding from even the slightest wound. Normal movement can cause internal bleeding of the joints which can be quite painful and limit the afflicted person's physical life. It is a rare, hereditary disease and is caused when a defective X chromosome is inherited. In hemophilia, the body has no or very few of the proteins that enable the blood to clot. Males mostly suffer from this disease and it is passed on from the mother who carries this defective gene, but it is not inherited from the father. Growing up with hemophilia can be very challenging as there is always the fear of falling or getting a cut, especially at a young age when children love to play and often end up getting wounds or cuts. Parents of children suffering from this disorder, out of love for their child are over protective and may be reluctant to let him lead a normal life. However, Fahad beat all odds and he attended school just like any other boy in his home town Najran. “I went to school regardless of the constant pain I felt. When the condition worsened during the intermediate years my father was forced to pull me out of school for a few months to protect my health,” said Fahad. “My strong ambition and determination drove me to insist on going back to school and to complete my education, even though my attendance was interrupted by a number of intermittent hospitalizations,” he confidently added. Obtaining a high school diploma was not enough to quench Fahad's thirst of knowledge. He enrolled in the distance learning program at King Abdul Aziz University. “My studies took five years and my dream finally came true and I now have a bachelor's degree,” said a delightful Fahad. Fahad Saeed Al-Qashnin is an inspiration and a role model for all those who wish to fulfill their dreams, and a reminder for those who Allah has blessed with good health, to thank Him for this precious gift. __
