A member of the Tulsa-based pop group Hanson said he feels a duty to share his "scary experience" with deep vein thrombosis while health officials in his home state work to promote awareness of the medical condition.

Isaac Hanson joined legislators and health officials from the state and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for a presentation at the state Capitol. A resolution passed by the Legislature made Wednesday "DVT Day" in Oklahoma.

"I'm happy to put a face to the issue and allow people to become more aware of it and hopefully save some lives in the process," Hanson said.

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is the abnormal clotting of the blood in one or more veins. Its complication, pulmonary embolism, or PE, occurs when a blood clot breaks free from its original site and travels through the heart into the lungs.

According to the Venous Disease Coalition, more than 100,000 Americans die each year after experiencing a pulmonary embolism. Many of those deaths are sudden, because the person has failed to recognize the condition's symptoms, said Gary Raskob, the dean of the OU College of Public Health.

"That's why prevention is critical," Raskob said.

Preventative measures include staying active, not smoking, maintaining a normal body weight, moving legs often and walking frequently if possible.

The condition can occur in people of all ages, said Suman Rathbun, a researcher and vascular internist at the OU College of Medicine and the chairwoman of the education committee for the Venous Disease Coalition.

During June, that group, along with the Oklahoma Hospital Association, will provide education materials about the condition free to physicians and patients at 120 acute care hospitals in Oklahoma, said State Health Commissioner Michael Crutcher. Informational material for patients also will be available at state and county health departments.

Hanson said he has twice dealt with the condition, most recently when he had a blood clot removed from his lungs last October following a concert in Dallas. The 27-year-old guitarist said the symptoms included mild numbness and tingling in his right arm — where the clot formed — along with slight discoloration of his skin and pain.

"It is important to be aware of yourself and your physical condition," he said. "Often (the condition) is missed because it seems so insignificant."

His first experience with DVT came in November 2003, he said. Since the second experience, he has had a rib removed to allow for better blood flow through a vein in which the blood was clotting. He also has taken blood thinners.

Hanson said he's fortunate that treatment for the condition has advanced significantly during the past 10 years, allowing him to continue his music career.

"It is something that I will always have to be aware of," he said.

The group Hanson is best known for its 1997 hit "MMMBop."

Hanson's brothers, 22-year-old Zac Hanson and 25-year-old Taylor Hanson, round out the trio. The group is scheduled to travel to South Africa in August with the Oklahoma City-based organization Feed The Children before embarking on an eight-week tour of the U.S. and Canada in support of their fourth studio album, "The Walk."

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