Joe MacDonald,  —

Rev. Dr. Joe K. MacDonald is a pastor in the New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Cazandra, live in Belen, New Mexico, along with their youngest son, Caeleb, and two fur babies, Laggie and Hildie. Both of Joe’s sons (the oldest is Julian) have severe hemophilia A, factor VIII deficiency. Julian was diagnosed in 1996 and Caeleb in 2006. Joe serves on the Board of the Sangre de Oro Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation. Joe’s goal is to help his sons and others in the community use their voices to help improve the quality of life for those with bleeding disorders.

Articles by Joe MacDonald

Affirmations Go a Long Way When Treating My Sons

Affirmation: one word with significant connotations. From the day we come into this world, we seek an acknowledgment that our presence on this planet matters. To be affirmed by those around us reinforces the idea that our contributions to our community hold special significance. When we hear others give…

My Sister, Tawn, Is an Amazing Aunt and Friend

Last week, my wife, Cazandra, my youngest son, Caeleb, and I attended the annual meeting of the Hemophilia Federation of America, held in San Antonio. The grassroots, national organization promotes the health and well-being of those who manage chronic bleeding disorders. While attending the conference, we engaged with…

Allowing the Role of Caretaker to Change

This past week my adult son, Julian, made a decision that I didn’t like. I wanted badly to tell him how I felt and that his choice may not be in his best interest. I don’t think it’s essential to mention what he did as much as my reaction to…

The Secret Is in the Refrigerator

I often tell people to check my refrigerator if they want to track the development of hemophilia care in my family. For example, when my sons were small, the medicine they required, factor VIII, took up a full refrigerator, requiring us to buy a second one. As for other…

I Tell My Son, ‘You Are More Than Enough’

My older son, Julian, and I share many interests. We are both musicians and sing the same voice part, lyric tenor. Many people who hear us sing together tell me that it’s difficult to determine who’s singing. Our voices blend as if they’re one instrument. Genetics has a lot…

Giving Thanks on the 4th Anniversary of My Column

In April 2018, I began writing this column. Over the four years that I’ve shared stories from my heart, I cannot believe that my family has endured many bad moments associated with hemophilia. Yet I’ve also chronicled the joyous times we celebrated, even in the middle of overwhelming darkness.

A National Symposium Offers Us the Chance to Reconnect

Next month, April 21–23, the MacDonald family heads to San Antonio to attend the Hemophilia Federation of America’s 2022 Symposium. I cannot wait to see old friends and participate in educational sessions regarding upcoming treatments and services to the bleeding disorders community. My wife, Cazandra, and I haven’t…

A New Medical Issue Brings Back Painful Memories

Last week, I took Caeleb, my youngest son, to the University of New Mexico Health’s urgent care center, which is on the same floor as the Ted R. Montoya Hemophilia Program and Treatment Center. He’d been experiencing stomach and head pain for five days. I figured he had a…

Take the Time to Find Helpful Practices

This week marks a change of seasons in the life of the church. With Ash Wednesday, Christians worldwide enter a time of Lent, a season of 40 days before Easter, to contemplate and discover the story of hope and how we find deliverance from the darkest parts of our…