Shellye Horowitz,  —

Shellye Horowitz is a licensed school counselor and school administrator with over 25 years of experience in education. Shellye has strong ties to the bleeding disorders community with six traceable generations of hemophilia A in her family. As a woman with hemophilia, Shellye feels fortunate to have obtained a correct diagnosis and access to care, albeit later in life. Her desire is to spread awareness that women also have hemophilia and need appropriate and equitable care. Shellye lives in Northern California, where she and her dog, “Hope,” love to play on the beach and wander through the majestic Redwood forests.

Articles by Shellye Horowitz

It’s OK to Advocate for Care

I attended my first women-only hemophilia retreat in the fall of 2016. To say the weekend was an eye-opener would be a gross understatement. It changed my life. First of all, I learned that I was not alone in my struggles to understand lifelong bleeding…

Take Care of Yourselves, Carrier Moms!

Carrier moms — those whose sons or daughters have hemophilia — inspire me. I see you struggle, sometimes daily, with the realities of parenting a child who has a chronic condition. Your tireless dedication necessary to ensure a child’s safety and proper medical treatment can be challenging and…

Hemophilia Inheritance Graphics Need Updating

Inheritance patterns in hemophilia are a common discussion topic for many reasons. Among the reasons that people seek information about hemophilia inheritance is their desire to better understand if their future children might be at risk for inheriting the disorder. Not only do people express concern regarding their children, but…

Beating the Bleeding Disorder Blues

Editor’s note: Please be advised that the topic of suicide is addressed in this column. Resources for help are listed at the end of the column. It happens to the best of us. The alarm goes off in the morning and we do NOT want to get out…

Horrible Periods Are Not Necessary

We grow up hearing our mentors — women we respect and love — regularly complain about menses. Periods seem to be a fairly universal inconvenience and bother. However, I believe there is a fine line between inconvenience and suffering. Your period should not make you miserable. Movements to…

Managing Holiday Stress with Hemophilia

I love the holidays — candlelight, decorations, the smell of baking, and time with family. I look forward to the holidays every year, but I am also keenly aware that holidays can be more stressful with the realities of managing hemophilia. Here are some tips for…

Counting the Missing Women with Hemophilia

The World Federation of Hemophilia states that any person, male or female, with factor levels below 40 percent has hemophilia. However, conventional medical wisdom has not caught up. Women who have abnormal bleeding should be assessed for hemophilia, particularly when they have a family history. Yet too…

Breaking into the Boys Club: Women with Hemophilia

Since hemophilia was discovered, it has been accepted as a male disease. No one questions that a man is struggling with hemophilia. A man with a bleeding disorder living in a developed country is rarely denied access to healthcare. When he receives a diagnosis, he is told that…