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When I first came to Hemophilia Federation of America everything about your disorder and the right to advocate
in 2008, my babies were 4 and 6. I had done a little
volunteering around the country and served on my local for yourselves and have the same opportunity as anyone
bleeding disorders board. Living the dream as a young family
with a growing consulting business, we had a fair handle on without a chronic condition. Helping you do that has been
living with hemophilia, but we were paying $2,400 per month
in health insurance premiums with a $9,000 deductible. my honor and privilege.S
Knowing my son would get his factor made it a necessity. I
will never forget getting a notice that year that our monthly
premiums would be increasing slightly to just over $2,800.
My husband and I realized one or both of us should find a
corporate job with insurance. He did. I planned to continue
consulting.

I had vaguely heard of HFA as that little national organization
that represented people with bleeding disorders and their
families. At HFA, the staff and board were supposed to have
huge hearts, a lot of great ideas and a desire to build. I like
big hearts. I like big ideas. I like to build. I quickly realized I
liked HFA and while it was not our plan, I decided to join the
team. I knew how to run a successful business, how different
could running a nonprofit be? Not as much as you might

What’s waiting in Baltimore?think actually! What I absolutely did not imagine was that I

would find it so rewarding and grow to love our community
so much that I would stay more than a decade!

• 1,000+ community members toI came to HFA because of my son. I did not want his

hemophilia to limit him. I stayed because of you, our bleeding

connect withdisorders community. You deserve the right to learn
• Three days of educational
programming and workshops
• 50+ exhibitor booths

Symposium registration and
hotel room block is now open.
Learn more and start planning
your experience at our
annual meeting.

8 DATELINE FEDERATION < www.hemophiliafed.org