Hemophilia and Me
— Jennifer Lynne

Last week, I had two dental procedures that required pretreatment because of my hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease (VWD). After prepping one of my teeth for a crown, my dentist took…

“Don’t let anyone cut into you without talking to your hematologist first.” That’s what my hematologist told me decades ago, and I’ve never forgotten it. It’s advice that may have saved my life more…

A few years ago, I woke up to find my right breast swollen, hot, red, and extremely painful. Beneath the skin was a lump that felt about the size of a golf ball. I’d…

A few weeks ago, I spent a long weekend at a women’s retreat hosted by the Coalition for Hemophilia B in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Years ago, I attended the iconic laser show at Stone…

Mother Nature was not kind to my area of Florida last year. First came Hurricane Helene, bringing widespread flooding. Just two weeks later, Hurricane Milton struck, unleashing high winds and another round of devastating…

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…

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.

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…

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,…

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…

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.