At Save One Life, we are proud to work alongside volunteer ambassadors like Eliza VanZweden, whose lived experience with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia fuels her passion for advocacy and support for others in the bleeding disorders community. Through her leadership, compassion, and willingness to share her story, Eliza is helping women and girls around the world feel seen, connected, and empowered to use their voices.

Eliza VanZweden understands firsthand the challenges that can come with living with a rare bleeding disorder. Shortly after birth, she was diagnosed with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia. Although her siblings had the same medical condition, she largely felt different from her peers. Childhood experiences such as being self conscious of visible bruises, missing class due to bleeding episodes, and being unable to participate in many typical kids’ activities tended to reinforce this narrative. 

Additionally, given the fact that treatment for bleeding episodes involved lengthy trips to the emergency room for a platelet transfusion or an infusion of Factor VII medication, she was very cautious, which furthered her isolation.

However, things began to change for Eliza when she met another person with Glanzmann Thrombasthenia at a conference in her teens. For the first time, she felt she belonged and embraced the power of community.

She became an active advocate in the Hemophilia Foundation of Michigan, was later selected for the National Bleeding Disorder Foundation’s Youth and Leadership Institute Program, and was awarded the Susan Skinner Memorial Fund Scholarship of the World Federation of Hemophilia.

Through her international travel, she became aware of the enormous challenges women with a bleeding disorder face on a daily basis. In 2025, she agreed to serve as an Ambassador for Save One Life to help identify and support women and girls in this community. It is her hope that sharing her story and lending her
encouragement, others living with rare disorders will use their voices, advocate for their needs, and recognize the healing power of being seen and supported.