Facts N' Factors e-Newsletter

January 2015

Happy New Year and Welcome to our new and improved Facts N' Factors newsletter!
We decided to make a change for 2015 and move from a quarterly PDF file newsletter to a 10 times a year, mobile friendly, e-newsletter (also we will send out a year end wrap up newsletter in December that will be a traditional mailed paper version). We will still include all the things you loved about our long format newsletter, like timely articles, event wrap-ups, member and volunteer spotlights, HTC news, and more. Please be patient with us as we transition to this new format. If you ever have any news to share, pictures, or if you are interested in writing an article please contact Heather at admin@vahemophilia.org.

Bowling for Bleeding Disorders

Saturday, March 7, 2015

2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

AMF Sunset Lanes | Richmond VA

Our 3rd annual Bowling for Bleeding Disorders bowl-a-thon has moved to the month of March in honor of Hemophilia Awareness Month! So gather your friends and family and come out for an afternoon of fun, food, prizes, and bowling in support of Camp Youngblood at Camp Holiday Trails.

Camp Youngblood is open to children with bleeding disorders, their siblings, and children of members of the bleeding disorder community. Kids enjoy a week of fun and learning with other kids that are faced with similar challenges. It costs VHF $600 to send a kid to camp for one week and last year we sent 60 kids! Help us reach our goal of $30,000 this year by donating money, registering a team, or raising funds. Go HERE to register.

Bowl-a-thon Website

Event Wrap Up

Winter Gatherings

On Saturday, December 13th VHF friends and families in 3 locations across the state came together to celebrate the holiday season. In Richmond, the VCU Bleeding Disorders Program enjoyed a delicious breakfast provided by the Hazel Gibb's Circle from Ramsey United Methodist Church, and the morning was made sweeter by gifts for the

children from Santa. At CHKD in Norfolk attendees had time to network with friends, enjoy a variety of yummy catered treats, and the best part - photo opportunities with old St. Nick without having to wait in those long holiday lines! And if you weren't at the Charlottesville gathering you truly missed out. There was bowling, pizza, and a visit by a very special Santa's helper (Thanks Nick Cady!). Reminders on community resources as well as educational and support opportunities were also shared. A big thank you to the following community members for their generosity in donating gifts: Beth Leftwhich, Donna Bordone, Donyetta Ama, Jean Parnell, Jessica Bolton, Kathy Mortimer, Kendall Dean, Mari Droney, Marijane and Al Valentino, Megan Lawson, Michele West, Monika Eiden, Pat DeRatto, Rhonda Heuple, Sabrina Adams, Sabrina Anderson, and Stacey Noble.

Go HERE to see more photos from the event

Educational Dinner

Almost 30 VHF members gathered in Hampton at Baci Ristorante Italiano on Thursday, January 8th for an educational dinner. The topic for this dinner was "Exploring Emotional Well Being", where an overview of mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, for the general population and for those impacted by a bleeding disorder, including caregivers were discussed. Thank you to everyone that came out and thank you to Pfizer for sponsoring this educational dinner.

www.biogenidec.com

Community News

Donor Deferral Policy Change and National Blood Monitoring System Established

December 23, 2014 ~National Hemophilia Foundation

New York, NY - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it is revising the current blood donor deferral policy for men who have sex with men (MSM) from a lifetime ban to a one-year deferral and implementing a national blood surveillance monitoring system.

"The policy announced today reflects a balance of respecting donors and protecting patients," said Val D. Bias, Chief Executive Officer of the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF). See more at www.hemophilia.org

Kuhn: Virginia General Assembly should act to
limit rising out-of-pocket costs for vital medications

January 13, 2015 ~Richmond Times Dispatch

Despite paying their monthly health insurance premiums, a growing number of vulnerable Virginians simply can't afford their prescription medications. Health insurers are increasingly driving up patient out-of-pocket costs by charging patients a percentage of the total cost of a medication rather than a fixed, manageable copay.

Patients can be forced to pay between 25 and 40 percent of the total cost of their medications, adding up to hundreds or even thousands of dollars each month for a single treatment. See more at www.richmond.com

Fair Copay VA, led by Patient Services, Inc., is a patient-focused campaign dedicated to ensuring that Virginians who have paid their insurance premiums are able to access the medical treatments they need when they or someone in their family gets sick. Fair Copay VA is in support of a legislative solution to limit out-of-pocket costs for vital medications. Go HERE for more information

Also you can like the Fair Copay VA Facebook page www.facebook.com/FairCopayVA and follow them on Twitter www.twitter.com/FairCopayVA