Rural healthcare faces many challenges, which become even more complicated when rare disorders are involved. March is Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, and Shellye Horowitz, Associate Director of Education for the Hemophilia Federation of America, has experienced first-hand the obstacles that a patient with a rare bleeding disorder faces while living in a rural area.

“We need to make sure that the knowledge and information base is wide enough in our rural communities that we can protect patients with rare bleeding disorders…”

~Shellye Horowitz

Shellye Horowitz is the Associate Director of Education at the Hemophilia Federation of America. Shellye has strong ties to the bleeding disorders community with six traceable generations of hemophilia A in her family, affecting both men and women. Shellye has given presentations and served on numerous committees focused on increasing awareness of diagnosis and treatment for women’s disorders. Additionally, Shellye wrote a column for Hemophilia News Today that addressed issues regarding women and bleeding disorders called “The Forgotten Factor”. Shellye’s hobbies include International Folk Dance, ham radio, geocaching, knitting, hiking, home improvement projects, and walking her dog Hope on the beach.

To learn more, check out www.hemophelia.org