It’s that time of year again when brackets are busted, Cinderella stories happen, and basketball fans everywhere are glued to the television for the madness of March. The NCAA basketball tournament is full of buzzer-beaters, heartbreak, and jaw-dropping comebacks. And oddly enough, for many of us living with bleeding disorders,…

What do developmental disabilities, French bread, endometriosis, nutrition, English tourism, and bleeding disorders have in common? They all claim March — or a select day or week during the month — for awareness. Organizations dedicate this time to educating the public through local and national gatherings and social media campaigns.

Beyond medical complexities, bleeding disorders illuminate inspiring stories of resilience, courage, and community strength. When we openly share our experiences, we educate others, combat stigma, and promote inclusion. Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month in March is an essential opportunity to highlight the realities faced by those living with hemophilia,…

It’s no secret that I love musicals. My greatest joy is finding phrases from a show’s libretto that speak to my soul. One such event happened when I saw the musical “Wicked” on Broadway. Toward the end of the show, witches Glinda and Elphaba sing a moving ballad in…

Women like me often wonder how the hemophilia community has overlooked us for so long. The stories of women labeled as mere “carriers” — despite experiencing life-threatening bleeding episodes — are endless. For decades, we’ve lived with symptoms that disrupt our lives, yet we were dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told…

“Let me see if I’m hearing you correctly: If I get the lip biopsy and it’s positive, it’ll confirm that I have Sjögren’s syndrome. If I get the lip biopsy and it’s negative, I likely still have Sjögren’s syndrome and the treatment plan I’m on won’t change either way?” The…

This month, I attended One Drop, a “rare bleeding disorders consortium” hosted by Comprehensive Health Education Services (CHES) in Tampa, Florida. The event supported individuals and families with deficiencies of factor I, II, V, VII, X, XI, XIII as well as rare platelet disorders, such as Glanzmann thrombasthenia. Janet Brewer,…

In a column last month, I discussed how I felt when attending the recent annual conference of the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation in Atlanta. One of the highlights was when my wife, Cazandra, and I presented our own session, “Finding Our Way Back to Each Other.” Before…

This year’s annual Bleeding Disorders Conference began a week ago in Atlanta and ended on Saturday. While it wasn’t my first such event, it brought several new opportunities. For one thing, as my wife, Cazandra, and I packed for the event, I felt mixed emotions. At recent conferences,…

My wife, Cazandra, and I will give a presentation titled “Finding Our Way Back to Each Other” at the National Bleeding Disorders Foundation’s upcoming Bleeding Disorders Conference. I invite anyone in the Atlanta area on Friday, Sept. 13, to come and hear what we have to say. The…