One of the highlights of my career as a hemophilia doctor is taking care of patients from birth to adulthood and seeing them grow and thrive like this dear patient of mine since he was a baby “droplet” and now a great sport 20 years later for our Hemophilia center helping fundraise at our Walk/5K Fun Run!  Our various programs have helped this patient of mine since childhood and it's wonderful to see him give back. Please donate to help more patients “pay it forward!”

HEMOPHILIA CARE

Founded in 1959 by visionary Rochester native Mary Gooley, the Center has been treating people who suffer from bleeding disorders for over 50 years. Since then, we have seen amazing advances in medical technology change hemophilia from a devastating disease causing severe disability and hardship to one that has become very manageable with the right treatments and medications. However, there is still a long way to go. Hemophilia is one of the most expensive medical conditions to treat and treatments still have to be administered through infusions up to three times per week to mitigate the constant threat of internal bleeding.

WHAT MAKES THE MARY M. GOOLEY CENTER SPECIAL

The Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center has gained national attention because of its comprehensive care model that goes beyond just simply treating the medical condition. This model includes: education, advocacy, counseling, life assistance, home care training and health counseling. They are also heavily involved in national research projects aimed at improving the lives of people with bleeding disorders. Every summer, they send many of their child patients to specialized camps for children with medical conditions so that they can have fun in a safe environment with children experiencing the same issues as them.

WHY A TRIATHLON?

The Center chose a triathlon as their annual fundraiser because it is critical for people with hemophilia to find ways to live active healthy lives. Being fit helps to mitigate the effects of the condition and this is extremely important to instill in our child patients early on as they have fewer options in terms of what sports they can choose. They also thought it would be a great way to bring this important message of health and fitness to the whole community.

So please help me support and sustain this wonderful place with any level of donation.