Canada's First Hemophilia B Gene Therapy Changes One Life

Basel Abushawish has spent 31 years watching from the sidelines, unable to play sports because of hemophilia B, a rare bleeding disorder that turns simple activities into dangerous risks.

On May 13, everything changed. He became the first Canadian to receive HEMGENIX, a groundbreaking one-time gene therapy at London Health Sciences Centre that could replace a lifetime of Factor IX transfusions.

For people with hemophilia B, everyday moments can become medical emergencies. Abushawish describes the reality bluntly: unpredictable bleeding episodes so painful he couldn't walk to the bathroom when his ankle bled internally. Joint damage accumulated over years. Normal life activities stopped being normal.

The treatment works by helping the body produce its own Factor IX, the protein that helps blood clot properly. Instead of needing frequent infusions for life, patients receive a single therapy that teaches their bodies to do the work themselves.

Dr. Chai Phua, who oversaw the treatment, calls it a paradigm shift after decades of research. "It shifts hemophilia B treatment from lifelong, frequent infusions to a one-time therapy," he explained. The result means less bleeding, less treatment burden, and potential independence from regular hospital visits.

The Ripple Effect

Hemophilia affects about 3,800 Canadians, and HEMGENIX is now publicly funded in British Columbia and Ontario for eligible patients. What started as one man's treatment represents hope for thousands of families who have structured entire lives around managing this disorder.

The therapy transforms not just medical outcomes but life possibilities. Parents of children with hemophilia B can now imagine futures where their kids play contact sports, travel without medical coolers, and make spontaneous plans without calculating risk.

For Abushawish, the dream is simple but profound. "First thing I'm going to do is sports," he said when his doctor confirmed the treatment worked. He's never played soccer, never felt the freedom of running without fear, never experienced the joy of team sports that most people take for granted.

Now he's preparing to step onto a soccer pitch for the first time in his life, trading decades of caution for a future of possibility.