While riding a bus at the first hemophilia conference I attended, I met a young man who had mild hemophilia, just like me. Unlike me, he’d been diagnosed close to birth. Then he shared his factor VIII levels; shockingly, they were higher than mine. I sat in disbelief. I’d…
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Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) arose in a 48-year old man with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune liver disease, according to a case study. While AHA has been associated with autoimmune disorders, the researchers said a connection between AHA and PBC had not been reported previously. While “the…
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 — one of the participants in a clinical trial for Hemgenix (etranacogene dezaparvovec), the first…
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. Many of the women attending were mothers or partners of people living with hemophilia. I’ve…
A single-center U.S. study found relatively little genetic testing was done for girls with a 50% risk of being a hemophilia carrier — people with the altered gene who don’t have hemophilia themselves but can pass it to their children — over a four-year period in Washington state.
Beqvez (fidanacogene elaparvovec-dzkt), a one-time gene therapy developed by Pfizer that was formerly approved for hemophilia B, was found to be safe and effective in reducing bleeding episodes and the need for factor replacement therapy in a small group of men. That’s according to results from a long-term…
I’ve lived with bleeding disorders all my life. I’ve infused at home, navigated emergency rooms, and advocated for better care for myself and others. But when I was invited to participate in a global hackathon on mental well-being in the hemophilia community, I was struck by something that often…
When I worked for the Hemophilia Federation of America (HFA), I was incredibly grateful for its dedication to bringing awareness to the needs of women with hemophilia, many of whom had a mild form of the disorder. As I observed our community events, I realized that a group was…
I’ve been writing about life with my husband, Jared, who has severe hemophilia B and epilepsy, for many years now. In doing so, I’d often refer to myself as a caregiver in passing. But here’s something that might surprise you: This column is the first time I’m openly…