Stephen Christmas, a medical miracle as a boy, yesterday died the tragic
death of a victim of tainted blood.
The discovery in 1952 that Mr. Christmas lacked the blood component Factor 9
- a clotting disorder that was named Christmas disease - was a major
scientific breakthrough. It led to Factor 9 being isolated and injected in
concentrated form, instead of subjecting hemophiliacs to whole-blood
transfusions.
The breakthrough not only saved the lives of thousands of hemophiliacs, who
before Mr. Christmas rarely lived past adolescence, but also allowed many to
lead normal lives.
Before the discovery, a minor cut or bruise could lead to internal bleeding
and debilitating crippling of the joints. As a result of childhood bleeding,
Mr. Christmas required an artificial knee and was hunchbacked.
At the time of the discovery, the average age of a hemophiliac was 11, but
today most enjoy life expectancies similar to the population as a whole.
Yet the symbol of hope has now become a symbol of suffering.
Mr. Christmas, the son of Hollywood actor Eric Christmas, was 46 when he
died yesterday of complications from AIDS in Toronto.
"The tragic irony is the thing hemophiliacs needed to survive has led to
their premature death," said Jerome Teitel, medical director of the
hemophilia program at St. Michael's Hospital. "It's even more potent
symbolism when you realize that he was the original Christmas."
About 1,000 Canadian hemophiliacs and blood-transfusion patients have been
infected with the AIDS virus by contaminated blood, and almost 400 of them
have died so far.
"It's a damn shame," said Santo Caira, co-ordinator for the Toronto and
Central Ontario region of the Canadian Hemophilia Society and a close
friend. "Stephen was one of the originals. His case gave all hemophiliacs
the opportunity to live a dignified life."
Mr. Christmas was not only an inspirational symbol for hemophiliacs, but
also one of the activists who pushed the tainted-blood issue out of the back
rooms and into the headlines, though he kept his own condition a virtual
secret.
In fact, he learned that he was likely infected with the human
immunodeficiency virus while sifting through recall notices for blood
products in 1987, two years after testing of blood donations for HIV and
heat treatment of blood products became mandatory in Canada.
A Canadian Hemophilia Society report, prepared largely with archival
documents uncovered by Mr. Christmas, prompted the federal government in
1989 to provide victims of the tainted-blood tragedy with $120,000 each.
That program, his only source of income aside from a small disability
pension, expired in April.
"The federal compensation radically changed his life," said his brother,
Robin Christmas. "It gave dignity and mobility to a man who was determined
to live life to its fullest despite the disease."
In September, after almost six years of bickering, the provinces and
territories announced a $150-million compensation package, but the
paperwork, which had been promised by Dec. 25, has yet to be completed.
"To the day he died, Stephen was very bitter and angry about the attitude of
the provinces," Robin Christmas said. "He could not accept the delays and
the bureaucracy, particularly because he knew what a difference that little
bit of money could make."
Because Stephen Christmas died before the paperwork is complete, his estate
will be entitled to only $22,000. Others who survive long enough to sign the
provincial-territorial package will be entitled to $30,000 a year for life.
Spouses will get $22,000 a year and children will get $4,000 a year for up
to five years.
A public inquiry is currently examining the events surrounding the
tainted-blood tragedy. It will also propose a revamping of the Canadian
blood system to ensure that a similar disaster does not occur.

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