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POLICY PROFILE

Intern Introspective:

HFA’s Policy and Government Relations Summer Interns
are ready to make their mark in Washington, D.C.

BY SARAH SHINKMAN, STAFF WRITER

Jasmin Wyatt and Dylan Edwards are emerging leaders in this community. I met my partner of five years at
the bleeding disorders community with a shared interest Camp Bold Eagle in Michigan, our community has
in public policy and passion for advocacy. This summer, introduced me to countless friends, and given
they have joined Hemophilia Federation of America’s Policy, my career aspirations a sense of direction.”
Advocacy and Government Education team for a 10-week
internship at the HFA headquarters in Washington, D.C. HFA is thrilled to welcome Dylan and
Jasmin to the team. They will live and work
It is clear why they chose to apply for HFA’s summer in Washington, D.C. for 10 weeks where
internship. Jasmin writes “Health policy is important to me, they will undertake a variety of projects
as I believe everyone should have access to healthcare. The designed to help them develop a deeper
issue of hemophilia in health policy is especially close to my understanding of state and federal health
heart. My younger brother, a hilarious and energetic 11-year- care policy, engage in collaborative
old, has severe hemophilia B. He is lucky enough to have policy and advocacy activities,
affordable and accessible healthcare, but not everyone is as learn about HFA’s full spectrum
privileged. I am dedicated to fighting for everyone’s right to of programming and services
care, and would love to do so for something so important and and how it serves the
close to me.” national bleeding disorders
community, as well as
Dylan says “While writing this statement, I glimpsed the improve their own
scar on my left arm from the bleeding timing test that did skills, knowledge and
not diagnose my von Willebrand’s Disease. My parents, abilities to further
young and unconnected to our community, were clueless their participation
that most doctors preferred newer, more accurate methods in the public policy
to test patients for bleeding disorders. This began a 13-year process.
journey to my diagnosis. I was integrated into the community
through the Northern Ohio Hemophilia Foundation and
began to grow as a community member before my diagnosis.
All these years later, I have infinite reasons to be thankful for

6 DATELINE FEDERATION < www.hemophilafed.org