Hemophilia and Me
— Jennifer Lynne

I first met Connie Montgomery at the Hope Conference in Orlando, Florida, one of those rare moments when you instantly recognize a kindred spirit. Over lunch, we fell into deep conversation about women with bleeding disorders, the challenges we face, and the determination it takes to keep…

The energy in the room was unmistakable. Before the official start of the Hope Conference in Orlando, Florida, last week, a group of women had been invited for a special preconference event — a day set aside just for us. It was marked by laughter, the sharing of stories,…

After every storm, there’s a moment when you think the hard part is over. The winds calm, the skies clear, and you take that first deep breath of relief — only to realize the real work is just beginning: the cleanup, the repairs, and waiting for things to return to…

During the National Conference for Women with Hemophilia and Rare Factor Deficiencies, held Oct. 3-5 in Detroit, I joined a standing-room-only session titled “More Than One Story: Exploring Joint Health in Hemophilia, Hypermobility, and Beyond.” It was refreshing to see hypermobility on the agenda — a topic that resonates…

Last in a series. Read parts one and two. For 21-year-old Domenic Catrine, hemophilia B once dictated every part of life, from wearing a helmet during childhood playtime to college routines shaped by weekly factor infusions. Then he underwent gene therapy during his sophomore year in…

Second in a series. Read part one. For most of his life, 21-year-old film student Domenic Catrine assumed weekly infusions were his destiny while living with hemophilia B. By the time he entered college, the rhythm of mixing vials and finding veins had become routine — even if…

First in a series.  Treatment for people living with hemophilia has long meant a lifetime of infusions, careful planning, and constant vigilance. But new therapies are rewriting what’s possible, particularly gene therapy. Domenic Catrine is a charismatic 21-year-old who lives with severe hemophilia B. A junior in college…

Last week, I drove two hours to my hemophilia treatment center (HTC) in Tampa, Florida — not just to see my hematologist or get my labs done, but to meet with the physical therapist. The distance was long, but the trip was worth it. My knees have always been…

Ina Fowler, 68, of Brooksville, Florida, lives with several conditions, including hemophilia C, platelet dysfunction, atrial fibrillation, and peripheral artery disease. She recently suffered a brain bleed. To learn more about Ina’s journey, I spoke with her via Zoom. When Ina was in second grade, she hemorrhaged after a…

When you live with a bleeding disorder, you quickly learn that the words people use matter almost as much as the treatments themselves. I’ve been called a “carrier” and a “hemophiliac,” and told that my condition was “mild” or “moderate,” as if these words fully described the challenges…

When I was diagnosed with bleeding disorders in the 1970s, the world of hemophilia looked very different. Treatments were scarce, hospital visits were frequent, and the idea of living a “normal” life seemed like a distant dream. Today, I meet children and young adults with hemophilia who’ve never known…

I recently had the honor of attending the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation’s (NBDF) Bleeding Disorders Conference in Aurora, Colorado. I’m grateful for a travel grant I received from the NBDF that made it possible for me to attend. The conference was a fabulous and energizing mixture of connecting with…