The Forgotten Factor - a Column by Shellye Horowitz

Last week, I met a new local hematologist. He is not my main hemophilia doctor, but with my hemophilia treatment center eight hours away, it helps to have a local connection. He is a hematologist/oncologist who specializes in cancer treatment and knows very little about hemophilia.

Not all medical visits are created equal. Sadly, or perhaps horrifyingly, some women must fight to get access to the most basic of care, while others are fortunate enough to access it easily. While this is reality, it is not OK. It is imperative for the health of…

Today my hematologist complimented me. She told me that, had I not persevered, I may have only been labeled a “carrier” and my bleeding disorder may not have been adequately understood. For me to be healthy, it is critical that my bleeding disorder is understood. My hemophilia…

When I was a young girl, I sat next to my father while he self-infused. I handed him his supplies — butterfly needles, syringes, alcohol, cotton, and medical tape — as he needed them. I watched every step. The factor was mixed, then drawn into…

Our hemophilia community has been here before. A novel virus — previously, it was HIV — hit the world, and our community was uncertain about how it would affect us. Patients were told to turn to doctors for help and guidance, but the information each patient received varied…

In the past month, it has been hard for me to focus on hemophilia advocacy efforts, which normally are a burning passion. Disappointment over an opportunity to work more deeply with the hemophilia community that didn’t pan out and COVID-19 realities have me pulling back.

COVID-19 has upended our lives. It is hard. As an individual with a chronic condition, I find myself worrying about how it will affect me in ways that may be different from those of my neighbors or co-workers without chronic conditions. Thankfully, the hemophilia community has…

Over the past few years, I have learned that bleeding disorders are complex, particularly for women. Hemophilia is not always easy to understand or treat. It can take women up to 16 years to receive an accurate diagnosis. Then treatment plans are created, which can be challenging…

Accessing quality healthcare can be a struggle. Women with hemophilia have added challenges that range from not understanding their own bodies (after years of ignoring symptoms) to struggling to find knowledgeable healthcare providers. Growing up with an undiagnosed bleeding disorder meant years of dismissed symptoms. I was in…

This week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Eating disorders are tough to address, yet critical, as many suffer in silence. I was one of them. I struggled with an eating disorder a few times in college. But I would vehemently deny it if…