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Finding Balance Between Fatherhood and Advocacy

I will never forget the day my wife told me that she was pregnant with our first child. I stood there, unable to process her announcement of our boy’s impending entry into the world. I couldn’t fathom how my life would change. I struggled to figure out how I might…

Caregiver Partners Need Support and Recognition, Too

I’m standing in line at a convenience store after my appointment at the salon. It’s almost lunchtime and my stomach is grumbling, as I left our condo without having eaten breakfast. My husband, Jared, who has hemophilia and a seizure disorder, had a series of seizures the day before…

How to Help Someone Who Is Chronically Ill

Helping others is nice. On the most basic level, helping another person can trigger positive emotions. It also creates a sense of belonging and enables one to connect with their community. And from a big-picture perspective, it gives one a sense of purpose, as they are contributing something good…

Hemophilia May Be a Man’s World, but It’s Full of Superheroes

As a woman living with hemophilia, I’ve always understood that hemophilia is a man’s world. But I’ve also discovered that the men inhabiting this world are kind, compassionate superheroes with massive struggles of their own. My first National Hemophilia Foundation conference was in 2018 in Orlando, Florida. More than 2,800…

The Advent Message Gives Me Hope During Dark Times

During the four weeks leading up to Christmas, many in the Christian tradition observe a season of waiting called Advent. This period of anticipation encourages us to take a fearless and moral inventory of our lives so we can invite the birth of Christ into our hearts properly. We…