Hi,

My name is Luzdivina, also known as Luzdi or Lucy. I am the team leader of Dynamic Duo, wife of Juan Alvarez, and mother to Alessandra, whom we lovingly call Beba. These two are the reason behind our fundraising efforts and the heart of this journey.

When I met Juan 25 years ago, I had no idea he had Hemophilia. In fact, I didn’t even know what Hemophilia was. As Juan has shared, he didn’t want others to know about his disorder. All he would tell me was, “I’m sick.”

Fast-forward to 2010, when Juan and I crossed paths again. This time, little by little, he began opening up to me and trusted me enough to share what he was really living with. At first, I didn’t understand Hemophilia or even know how to explain it. All I knew was that it had something to do with bleeding.

As the years went by, I began to see firsthand what Hemophilia could do to Juan. I watched as there were times when he couldn’t walk. I witnessed spontaneous mouth bleeds and joint bleeds. I also heard stories from his mother about his childhood and how, despite everything Hemophilia put him through, he never allowed it to define him. He simply pushed through.

He never wanted pain medication. Most of the time, all he asked for was some Volcanic ointment and his crutches, and he kept moving forward.

In 2011, Juan invited me to my first Hemophilia conference in San Antonio. That experience opened my eyes and helped me understand just how complex Hemophilia really is and how much it can affect a person’s life. And, to be honest, I’m still learning every day. ?

Then came 2012. Juan lost his job, and with it, he lost his health insurance. Without insurance, getting his Factor treatment became a major challenge.

But Juan did what Juan does best—he found a way forward.

At one of his follow-up appointments, he was asked if he would be interested in participating in a clinical study. He said yes. Participating meant following certain rules, and one of the rules was that he could not have children during the study.

I had always wanted to expand our little family, but we respected the requirements of the study. There was another reason, too: Juan was afraid of having a daughter. He worried about what Hemophilia could mean for her and, potentially, for her future children.

Then, six kids later, Alessandra—our Beba—made her grand entrance into the world.

Juan was thrilled to finally have his little girl. But alongside that happiness was a fear he carried quietly in the back of his mind:

“How is this going to affect her life or the lives of her children?”

Thankfully, times have changed since Juan was born. Medical treatments have advanced. New therapies continue to become available. Our understanding of Hemophilia continues to grow, and recommendations surrounding physical activity, treatment, and living a full life continue to evolve.

There is still so much to learn.

And that is why I am doing this.

I am doing this to spread awareness, educate others, reach more people, and raise funds so that we can continue this journey of learning and supporting the Hemophilia community.

If you are able, please consider supporting our cause. Every contribution, no matter the amount, can make a difference. And if you are unable to donate, there are still meaningful ways you can help:

Share our page.
Spread awareness.
Talk about Hemophilia.
And most importantly, join us.

We would love for you to walk alongside us on October 24th at 9:00 AM at Sam Houston Race Park as we come together to support our community and raise awareness for Hemophilia.

From our family to yours, thank you for taking the time to hear our story, support our journey, and help us make a difference.

Together, we can walk for awareness, walk for hope, and walk for a better future. ?

#HemophiliaAwareness #BleedingDisorders #HemophiliaAwarenessMonth #TeamDynamicDuo