Page 2 - HFA Dateline 2021 Q1 Spring

HI FRIENDS,

With spring upon us and everything in full bloom, I hope you’ve had a good start to the
year and found time to recharge and energize. My husband and I were able to spend
some quality time with a few family members. I've been loving spending time in my new
backyard garden — so much lettuce to harvest!
The Board of Directors has been busy this year and is looking forward to continue to
partner with the HFA staff and community in creating an HFA strategic plan, as well as
continuing to look for ways to become a stronger, more focused governing board.

Mental health continues to be a priority for HFA and our community. In addition to adding
more education and social media content, we plan to partner with other bleeding disorder
organizations to collaborate on this important topic. Your mental health is extremely
important. We hope you are finding ways to cope with the daily stressors and that you

understand and can identify the warning signs that may indicate you or someone you
love is in need of more professional support.

I am proud to share that HFA has been awarded the 2021 Gold Bell Seal for Workplace

Mental Health by Mental Health America (MHA). This Bell Seal is a first-of-its-kind

workplace mental health certification that recognizes employers who strive to create
mentally healthy workplaces for their employees. Our status at Gold demonstrates our
dedication to employee well-being for outstanding scores in workplace culture, employee
perks and programs, legal and ethical compliance and leadership and community
engagement.

Sharing experiences about heavy and personal topics can be intimidating and difficult

to do. However, an individual’s story about facing and overcoming adversity can be the

catalyst for the healing of others. I hope this issue’s cover story profiling Ryan Seely (pg.
22) serves as that catalyst as you read about his struggles with anxiety, depression and

suicidal thoughts. I’m also proud to see Michael Bishop, one of HFA’s own staff members,
share his experience managing depression (pg. 26) within these pages. Michael’s story
is one that many can resonate with and I hope his message of continuing to
work towards a better tomorrow is something you take away.
Whether it’s through daily light exercise, finding small joys, having

gratitude or talking with a mental health provider, we encourage
you to support your mental health. We are here to help educate,
advocate and support you in that process. (Turn to page 20 for
HFA’s mental health resources.)
We also hope that your family is staying healthy during this
time. As COVID-19 vaccines begin to roll out more widely, HFA

is here to offer education on the vaccine and support your
decision-making. As a health care worker, I was fortunate to
receive my vaccine and am thankful that I had the opportunity
to better protect myself and my loved ones.
Despite the challenging times, the bleeding disorders community
remains strong and is here to support one another. HFA is excited
for what is in store as 2021 unfolds, and we hope you are too.

Allie Ritcey

Chair, HFA Board of Directors

2 DATELINE FEDERATION < www.hemophiliafed.org