VF’s First-Ever Virtual Pajama Party Benefit Brings Down the House!

Who knew how fun a virtual pajama party fundraiser could be? We certainly found out, when more than 250 members of the vasculitis community donned their favorite PJs and gathered with family and furry friends for an evening of online performances, touching testimonials, and messages of hope on Saturday, June 20, 2020. The sold-out VF […]

Dr. Eric Gapud: Giving Back by Furthering his Medical Training in Vasculitis

When Eric Gapud, MD, PhD, was in medical school, he was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. As you might expect, he can empathize with the experiences of his patients, particularly those with vasculitis and anyone who has been diagnosed with a rare disease. A physician-scientist, Dr. Gapud is also an instructor of medicine on the […]

Fran Crotty Finds that Faith and Positivity Fuel Her Personal Transformation

Back in November 2013, the VF ran an article written by Fran Crotty, who was diagnosed in 1996 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and Crohn’s disease. In her own words, she “has come back from her challenges, only slightly worse for wear, yet filled with optimism, strength in her faith and a greater appreciation of […]

Dr. Rebecca Manno: Bringing Rheumatology Expertise to the US Virgin Islands

The US Virgin Islands (USVI) have always been a special place for rheumatologist Rebecca Manno, MD, MHS, because she and her husband, Nick Hoyt, have vacationed in the territory for the past 20 years. But after the two devastating Category 5 hurricanes in 2017 (Irma and Maria), Dr. Manno began learning more about the health […]

Q&A with Brandon Hudgins: Thoughts on Olympics Postponement and COVID-19

California Runner Finds Helpful Support Through VF and Brandon Hudgins

Art Diaz, a 49-year-old married father of two, embodies the southern California lifestyle of health and vitality. A native resident of Garden Grove in Orange County, Art works as a retail manager at Skechers, the lifestyle apparel brand headquartered in nearby Manhattan Beach. An avid runner, Art has spent many hours logging countless miles on […]

VF Young Adults Group Spearheads New Vasculitis Visionaries Podcast Series

As 2020 kicks into full gear, our VF Young Adults community has continued growing and coming up with new ways to build upon a successful 2019. Last November, we were fortunate enough to be honored in Kansas City for our efforts to raise awareness about vasculitis through a video featuring about a dozen young adults. […]

Kathy Olevsky: Enjoying Life in Remission from MPA and Pursuing Her Passions

After Kathy Olevsky was diagnosed with ANCA-associated microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) in 2009, it took her about a year to realize that she would never be the same person she was before she became sick. But when you read her story, you’ll see that this determined 62-year-old is not only surviving, she’s thriving. Kathy was a […]

Dr. Velma Mockett: Turning Pain into Passion and Purpose

Brandon Hudgins Sets His Sights on U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2020

Most days, professional distance runner Brandon Hudgins wakes up with a burning desire to reach the goals he’s dreamed of since he was 15 years old. But there have been days when the obstacles seemed insurmountable. At one point, in 2013, he quit running entirely and threw his gear in the trash. He couldn’t handle […]

Living with Kawasaki Disease Brings Out Strength, Hope and Resilience

For Nicol Jackson, one particular incident stands out as a stark reminder of how rarely some doctors ever see a patient with vasculitis. Her 5-year-old son, Josh, who was being treated for Kawasaki disease, experienced severe chest pains. Nicol and her husband, Rob, rushed him to the emergency room at a hospital in London, Ontario, […]

Balancing School and Vasculitis: Perspectives from Students and Parents

Lori Larson and son, Matt Being a young adult with vasculitis is challenging enough, but trying to navigate through school while managing the illness demands extraordinary skills. We asked a cross-section of young adult patients (and some parents) how they found the balance between health and academics. “One of the hardest things for me as […]

Support Groups, Family Help Ease Long Journey with Rare Urticarial Vasculitis

For Richard Kujawa, attending the 2019 International Vasculitis Symposium in Bloomington, Minnesota, during July was a chance to learn more about urticarial vasculitis, the rare disease he was diagnosed with in recent years. But he got something else he wasn’t expecting: a connection with someone who has the same disease. Richard, 72, was sitting in […]

Creating Vasculitis Awareness in a Remote Corner of Ontario

A personal and professional mission for Dr. Michael Fernando and his wife, Patti Kemp. Michael Fernando, MD, is a family practice and emergency physician who lives and practices medicine in rural southwestern Ontario, Canada. Following medical school in the UK (Bart’s and the London School of Medicine), Dr. Fernando trained in family medicine near Fort […]

Positivity, Perseverance Inspires Other Young Adults in Vasculitis Community

This summer’s International Vasculitis Symposium in Bloomington, Minnesota, marked another successful gathering of young adults and continued the growth of our community. While it was great to see old friends again, I was reminded of how this disease continues to impact new people every year, and how scary and daunting it can feel as a […]

Positive Outlook Keeps Her Afloat in Journey with Behcet’s Disease

If Sarah Hewawitharana could be any other creature on this planet, there’s no question what it would be. The name she chose for her email address says it all: [email protected] “I like it because it reminds me not to take life too seriously. I’ve always been obsessed with the water, the ocean and fish,” says […]

Brandon Hudgins Looks Ahead to New Season of Competitive Racing

Three years ago, professional runner, Brandon Hudgins, beat the challenges from his granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA, formerly Wegener’s) to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the 1500-meter run. Although he didn’t make the Olympic team, Brandon hasn’t lost his determination to race competitively and is keeping a hopeful eye on the 2020 Olympic Games. […]

Caz Cazanov: Becoming an Educated Patient Through VF Conferences

Obviously, there’s never a “good” time to be diagnosed with vasculitis, but sometimes an onset happens with ironic impact at the worst possible time. In 2016, Caz Cazanov was looking forward to enjoying her new life after retiring from Kaiser Permanente, where she had spent 24 years working in health insurance legislative and regulatory policy. […]

Brian Kilgarif: A Success Story in Using MobileCause to Raise Funds for Vasculitis

If you ever need a shot of motivation, just talk to Brian Kilgarif. Brian is raising money for the VF on behalf of his wife, Steph, who was diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in 2002, when she was 16. His goals are to raise vasculitis awareness, and to honor the strength of his wife […]

Connection at VF Symposium Eases Isolation of Takayasu’s Arteritis

Loneliness is a common feeling among patients with vasculitis. When you find someone else on a similar path, it can help ease the isolation. That’s what happened to Dedra DeMarco and Devri Velazquez, who met at the 2019 International Vasculitis Symposium in July and discovered they share a lot in common on their journey with Takayasu’s arteritis (TAK) [...]

VF Research Committee Paving the Way For a New Generation of Investigators

The promise of better treatments for vasculitis has special meaning for Jason Springer, MD, MS, chair of the Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Research Committee and member of the VF Board of Directors. Before he ever started medical training, Dr. Springer’s father was diagnosed with vasculitis, a disease he had never heard of before. Despite treatment, his […]

Sam and Helen Dodge: Feeling Hope in the Wake of a Vasculitis Diagnosis

Sam Dodge spent much of his working life as an ad cameraman, and he collects antique motion-picture cameras, so it’s not surprising that he thinks in terms of film metaphors. Sam was diagnosed last year with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and he describes the experience like this: “Sometimes I feel as if we are all living a slow-motion British murder mystery and we patients are the potential victims,” Sam said.

Abby – Triathlete with GPA, Coached by U.S. Olympics Hopeful Brandon Hudgins,
Declares Victory Over Vasculitis

On Sunday, July 22, Abby woke up in Lake Placid, New York, a village in the Adirondack Mountains known for its picturesque natural environs—trees, trails and lakes—and for being the site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games. It was an important day for Abby, a psychologist from Alexandria, Virginia, who has dedicated her […]

Eileen Radziunas – Author Chronicles Search for Answers in New Book “Prognosis for Misdiagnosis”

The reason why Eileen Radziunas wrote a book about her struggle with Behcet’s is almost as powerful as her story itself. Initially she simply wanted to keep notes about her condition because she didn’t know if she would survive the disease. “I started out with no intention of writing a book,” said Radziunas. “I was […]

Katrina Bargender – Young Patient Inspired by Other Achievers with Vasculitis Completes Kids’ Triathlon

Diagnosed with Takayasu’s arteritis in March 2016 and faced with enormous obstacles on her road to recovery, Katrina Bargender, a high school senior from Racine, Wisconsin, attended the 2017 International Vasculitis Symposium in Chicago, which was the turning point in her vasculitis battle.

Brandon Hudgins – Victory Over Vasculitis Update: Brandon Battles Back

On a hot, muggy evening in July, Brandon Hudgins competed in the Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and finished third, ahead of one longtime rival, but behind two others. “My times weren’t very fast due to the sweltering conditions,” Brandon recalled, “but the effort was there. I fought off many demons and negative thoughts during […]

Keith Goldstein, MD – New Jersey Physician Awarded V-RED Recognition for Early Diagnosis of Takayasu’s Arteritis

Maureen Howard knew something was physically off-kilter when she began experiencing extreme fatigue, weight loss, difficulty breathing, rashes, and other symptoms. After visiting numerous specialists, Maureen went to Dr. Keith Goldstein at Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington, New Jersey. What Dr. Goldstein discovered when examining Maureen was alarming. “He found me to be lacking a […]

Julia Metraux – Following Urticarial Vasculitis Diagnosis, Student Becomes Vasculitis Foundation Intern

Julia Metraux’s college plans were derailed in October 2016 after she developed an onset of symptoms that began as annoyances and then became dangerous. “I was eighteen years old and in my second month at McGill University,” Julia recalled.

Jonelle Martin – Diagnosis Fuels Her Passion to Help Others with Central Nervous System (CNS) Vasculitis

Jonelle Martin’s diagnosis motivated her to create a Facebook group for other patients with CNS. By her own definition, Jonelle Martin calls herself a survivor of central nervous system vasculitis. That term has even greater power considering that when she was diagnosed there were rumors among some of her friends and neighbors that she would […]

Nashville Pediatrician Earns Vasculitis Foundation V-RED Award for Making Critical, Early Diagnosis

The 2018 V-RED Awardee is Linda Brady, MD, a pediatrician with Old Harding Pediatric Associates, Vanderbilt University Medical Center/Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Brady was nominated by Lisa Crabb, the mother of Chip, who was diagnosed with Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA/ formerly Wegener’s) in September 2017.

2018 V-RED Nominated Physicians Receive Certificates of Appreciation

In addition to the winner and Honorable Mentions, 38 other medical professionals were nominated by patients, and were each given a special Certificate of Appreciation.

Rennie Rhee, MD, MS – VF Fellowship Is Critical to Young Physician Advancing Career

In medical school, the very complex diseases in rheumatology fascinated Rennie Rhee, MD, MS. In particular, vasculitis was a mystery she was interested in solving. Following her residency, she received a two-year fellowship from the Vasculitis Foundation. “Treating vasculitis is very much like solving a puzzle since you get a little piece of information here […]

Jake Kula – Athlete With Vasculitis Considering Career in Medical Research

With May signifying Vasculitis Awareness Month, it is as great a time as any to look at those in our community who are making a difference in raising awareness about vasculitis. In this young adult patient profile, I had the pleasure of meeting a bright college student well on his way to educating others about […]