In a little box on the bottom of page A11 in the Health section of the Wall Street Journal yesterday, this important question finally appeared in the press.
The FH Foundation was happy to answer that question in depth for writer, Sumathi Reddy, and grateful for her interest. We connected her to multiple patients with FH who are struggling to get access to the therapies their doctors have prescribed.
Even for those of us who are lucky enough to know what we have, fortunate to be under the care of doctors who understand our condition, and blessed to live in a time when there are multiple therapies to help manage our condition, this article underlines that it is still a struggle to get the care we need.
While highlighting FH, the article only cursorily explains why FH is different and why time delays in treatment can cost someone their life. I encourage you to share your own story online in the Comments section of the Wall Street Journal or with the FH Foundation to help continue to build awareness of how FH is under-diagnosed, under-treated and life-threatening.
Lack of diagnosis is still the number one barrier to care. Only 10% of people born with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) ever learn why their family is riddled with cardiovascular disease and what their own high cholesterol reflects in terms of risk to themselves or their children.
We are so proud of and thankful for our community members who have stepped up to become FH advocates, volunteer their time, and share their personal journey in service of the mission of the FH Foundation. Together, we are telling the story of the toll FH has taken on families for generations and we are sharing a vision of what is possible - FH can be a story of hope.
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Katherine Wilemon
Founder and CEO
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