Patient Speaker Promotional Bios

Brian

When you think of the problem solvers of the world, don’t leave out the engineers! As a computer systems engineer, My(Drug Name) Peer Brian R. has certainly tackled his share of IT issues, but it’s the personal challenges he’s faced that have led him to develop an engineered life on other levels. At 17, Brian discovered he had severe hemophilia – not the moderate hemophilia he was misdiagnosed with as a child – causing him to restructure his understanding of and response to his condition. After becoming a father in his early 30s, he resolved to be an active dad and dropped more than 100 pounds by hiking, weightlifting, and cycling – feeling confident that he has the joint bleed protection he needs since starting (Drug Name) in June 2014. Finally, Brian had to further adapt his experience to being a caregiver when his daughter was diagnosed with hemophilia – bringing a unique perspective to his journey. Today, Brian is passionate about helping others by sharing how he not only manages but also maneuvers through the challenges of life with hemophilia.

DJ

As any avid comic book fan will tell you, the best superheroes find a way to turn a weakness into a strength. While it may have taken My(Drug Name) Peer DJ J. a while to figure out how, that’s exactly what he did, and now he’s using his uplifting story of transformation to encourage others in the hemophilia community. DJ, who was diagnosed at birth and has an older brother and grandfather with hemophilia, says that growing up he often felt more like a mutant than a superhero, so he escaped into the alternate reality of comics and hid his condition from friends. Then in a dramatic turn of events following high school, DJ came to the realization that not speaking up about his hemophilia actually deprived him, and others, of knowledge and support – making him weaker, not stronger. DJ started on (Drug Name) in 2014, feeling confident about the extended protection it offers him…and when you’re a man on a mission, it’s nice to know you’re covered.

Casey

When My(Drug Name) Peer Casey W. isn’t sharing his story with the hemophilia community, you’ll likely find him hanging out in the alleys of his hometown – bowling alleys, that is. Casey’s family actually owns a bowling center, where Casey started working as a pinsetter mechanic at age 14 and currently coaches the junior high/high school bowling team. Casey started (Drug Name) in August 2014 and is passionate about bringing hope and encouragement to a new generation living with hemophilia – inspired in large part by his two nephews, who have hemophilia, as well as his two daughters, one who has hemophilia and the other who is a carrier. “When I was growing up, I felt pretty isolated, but they motivate me to show them and others how to handle life with hemophilia and still be positive,” Casey says. “Most of all, I want to tell our community, ‘Don’t bottle up your struggles. Share them.

You never know when someone may be listening who can relate.’”