My Trip to the NHF Annual Conference

My family and I attended the National Hemophilia Foundation’s 69th annual conference in Chicago, Illinois this past August.  I would like to thank Hemophilia of Georgia for this exceptional opportunity and experience. The knowledge gained from this conference has been a huge encouragement to me and my family.

My husband, my daughter, and I arrived in Chicago on Wednesday, August 23, 2017. We were all full of excitement and ready to learn more about the bleeding disorder that has been a huge part of my life for the last 17 years, since I was diagnosed.  We checked into the Hyatt Regency in downtown Chicago, where the conference was held and began exploring the magnificent city.  We were located just a few blocks from the Magnificent Mile and were able to visit a few iconic landmarks while in town.

My family and I visited the following landmarks: Gino’s East, Chicago 360, Millennial Park, the Bean, Water Tower Place, and the Chicago Riverfront. It was a real treat to experience first-hand authentic Chicago deep dish pizza.

The NHF Conference began the next day and I was excited to see that there were many “tracks” to choose from.  We chose the family, couples, and von Willebrand Disease tracks. I was excited to see that there were classes just for those of us with von Willebrand Disease and that there was childcare available.

I learned so much about von Willebrand Disease and what it means to have it.  I met others in the community that I am still in touch with today.  The trade show portion of the event was so much fun.  It was a great experience to meet pharmaceutical companies, community advocates, and many others who serve the bleeding disorder community.  There were so many activities and games to play.  It was nice to spend this time with my family.

Two highlights of the trip were 1) meeting Chris Bombardier, who has hemophilia and has climbed Mt. Everest, and 2) meeting Val Bias, CEO of NHF, who also has hemophilia.  Both gentlemen were nice and very down to earth.  The final night event was held at the Field Museum.  It was neat to see a dinosaur skeleton and experience all that makes the Field Museum unique.

The week spent at the NHF Conference was amazing.  The new resources given will be used by myself and my family to better the bleeding disorder community. I have met so many amazing people, organizations, and learned valuable knowledge. I am forever grateful for the opportunity allotted to me and my family.