Even now, I hesitate to tell doctors I have hemophilia. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been met with blank stares, skepticism, or outright dismissal. Instead, I’ve learned to say, “I have a bleeding disorder.” It’s safer. It avoids the uncomfortable silence, the subtle smirk, or the…
When I was diagnosed with hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease in the 1970s, I was just 10 years old. Back then, most people didn’t believe girls could have hemophilia. I was told that my “deep blood” didn’t clot properly and sent on my way. Bleeding…
Last in a series. Read parts one and two. In the final installment of my three-part interview with Chip Hailey, 75, we explore what his life looks like after gene therapy. Chip shares how Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec) has transformed his daily routine, his mindset, and his outlook…
Second in a series. Read part one. In part one of my interview with Chip Hailey, a 75-year-old from Tennessee, we explored what led him to pursue gene therapy for hemophilia B, his lifelong journey with the condition, his hopes for a new chapter, and the road to…
First in a series. Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to receive gene therapy? I know I have. So when I had the chance to interview 75-year-old Chip Hailey of Tennessee — one of the participants in a clinical trial for Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec), the first…
Recently, I attended the Florida Bleeding Disorders Association’s Women’s Educational Retreat in Hollywood, Florida. I came away with several important takeaways, but one presentation by Lucila Ramirez Donaldson of Genentech truly resonated: caregiver burnout. Many of the women attending were mothers or partners of people living with hemophilia. I’ve…
I never used to think about aging because I was too focused on surviving the present: heavy periods, chronic anemia, and endless insurance hurdles. But lately, I’ve started to feel the shift. My joints take longer to recover. Mornings come with stiffness. Even the swelling from a minor finger bleed…
I’ve lived with bleeding disorders all my life. I’ve infused at home, navigated emergency rooms, and advocated for better care for myself and others. But when I was invited to participate in a global hackathon on mental well-being in the hemophilia community, I was struck by something that often…
I was at the Coalition for Hemophilia B’s Annual Symposium this month in Orlando, Florida — surrounded by my community, sharing meals and meaningful conversations — when it happened. No bump. No injury. No accident. I was literally just standing in the elevator when I felt it: a sudden,…
On April 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a restructuring that effectively eliminated the Division of Blood Disorders and Public Health Genomics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For many, this news went unnoticed. But for those of us in the…
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