Introducing Our 2022-2023 VCRC-VF Fellow: Marta Casal Moura, MD, MSc, MSPH

Marta Casal Moura, MD, MSc, MSPH, began her one-year Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)-Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Fellowship in July 2022. For anti-neutrophil autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), she is studying the predictors of response to plasma exchange in patients who have AAV glomerulonephritis and how histologic scores can predict the response to treatment. For giant cell […]

GPA Patient’s Advice for Others Facing a Similar Diagnosis: Remain Positive—You Can Beat This

In late summer of 1992, Dan Prozialeck began experiencing chronic congestion, coughing and sinus infections, throat pain, and excruciating joint pain. He had been going to a local urgent care facility for months for the sinus infections and each time he saw the doctor, he was put on a stronger antibiotic and increasing amounts of […]

Introducing Our 2023-2024 VCRC-VF Fellow: Roger Yang, MD

Roger Yang, MD, began his Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)-Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Fellowship in September 2022. Dr. Yang’s training through the Penn Vasculitis Center at the University of Pennsylvania will focus on both clinical care of patients with all forms of vasculitis and research on the diseases. As vasculitis may affect blood vessels of any […]

Brett Hack Vasculitis Charities: Raising Awareness of This Rare Disease

In 2012 Terry Hack’s son, Brett, had a grand mal seizure that came out of the blue. Several tests were done but there was no diagnosis. He was placed on anti-seizure medication for over a year, and 14 months after his first seizure he developed a severe headache, sinus infection and numbness in his hands and […]

DIANNE SHAW | VF Hero to Patient 2022

Past VPPRN Co-Principal Investigator | Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) • 1995

Dianne is “a human dynamo constantly working to advance research and improve patients’ lives. Also, the best joke teller ever!”

JENNIFER PRICE | VF Hero to Patient 2022

VF Financial Coordinator • 2006 – Present

“Over the last 16 years, Jennifer has shown a high level of integrity, a keen attention to detail, and a commitment to the accuracy of the organization’s finances which have helped the organization achieve its mission efficiently and effectively.”

SHANNON MORGAN | VF Hero to Patient 2022

VF Patient Support Coordinator • 2002 – Present

Shannon is “compassionate and caring. Always willing to help anyone, anytime.”

ED BECKER | VF Hero to Patient 2022

VF Media Producer • 2002 – Present

Ed is a “friend and champion to patients around the world.”

JOHN STADLER | VF Patient Hero 2022

Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) • 2017

“In 2017 I was diagnosed with MPA that would change my life forever. While my life changed, I learned over time to adapt and adjust to my new reality learning how to live with and thrive with Vasculitis.”

ABIGAIL QUINN | VF Patient Hero 2022

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) • 2021

“I put my armor on, show you how strong how I am, I put my armor on, I’ll show you that I am, I’m unstoppable”

— Sia in the song “Unstoppable”

SANDY NYE | VF Patient Hero 2022

Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) • 2014

"Be positive; Advocate for your care; Connect with other Vasculitis patients; Practice Mindfulness; Laugh; Ask questions; Keep a medical journal; Remember your medication; Join and/or donate to the Vasculitis Foundation; Smile"

ANN MARIE NIZIOLEK | VF Patient Hero 2022

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) • 2015

"God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow or sunshine without rain. But He did promise strength for the day and light for the way."

Florida Kidney Physicians Glomerulonephritis Center of Excellence Now Accepting Patients

Marc Richards, MD Vasculitis patients are complex. Different forms of the disease may share similar symptoms and treatment courses; however, each disease is distinct. This requires dedicated specialists who will go the extra mile, working cohesively for their patients. The specialists at the Florida Kidney Physicians Glomerulonephritis Center of Excellence in Boca Raton provide comprehensive […]

KAI AUSTIN | VF Patient Hero 2022

Granulomatosis withpolyangiitis (GPA) • 2016

"Your best is yet to come."

University of Michigan’s Vasculitis Program: Hoping to Impact Individual Patients and the Approach to the Diseases

Julia Ford, MD (left) and Ora Singer, MD, MS  The University of Michigan (U-M) Vasculitis Program began in September 2021 with a soft launch. “We started simply by instituting a dedicated vasculitis clinic and have been moving forward step by step,” said Ora Singer, MD, MS, Director of U-M’s Vasculitis Program. Both Dr. Singer and […]

MICHAEL AGATHIS | VF Patient Hero 2022

Granulomatosis withpolyangiitis (GPA) • 2013

"Strength comes from true belief and faith in God and the strength to live from my wife and daughters."

Many Outstanding Questions Still Exist for Vasculitis Patients: The Massachusetts General Hospital Rheumatology Vasculitis Program Hopes to Find Some of the Answers

Zachary Wallace, MD, MSc (left) and Sebastian Unizony, MD Vasculitis tends to present in a systemic manner, often affecting multiple organ systems. Clinicians should consider a broad differential (possible conditions that share the same symptoms) and think about the entire person—not just at the time of diagnosis but throughout their life as they face periods […]

SPENCER ABLEMAN | VF Patient Hero 2022

Microscopic Polyangiitis (MPA) • 2021

"For every dark night, there's a brighter day."

— Tupac Shakur

KIMBERLY BOISSONNEAULT | VF Patient Hero 2022

Behçet’s Disease • 2020

“Courage isn’t having the strength togo on­ — it is going on when you don’thave the strength.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte

VF Applauds Ashton Kutcher

The Vasculitis Foundation (VF) applauds Ashton Kutcher for publicly sharing his experience and diagnosis of vasculitis. By sharing his story Ashton is raising much-needed awareness of these rare and serious diseases which affect people of all ages. The VF is pleased that Ashton Kutcher is doing well and bravely speaks about his symptoms with vasculitis.

Meet Dr. Adam Mayer: Fellow Physician in Adult and Pediatric Rheumatology at UPenn

Adam Mayer, MD, discovered his love for rheumatology in his first year of residency after having several meaningful and exciting patient cases with systemic rheumatic diseases. He has always wanted to care for the most complex and critically ill patients and vasculitis was a natural interest. Dr. Mayer began his four-year fellowship at the University […]

BRANDON HUDGINS | 2022 Patient Hero

Granulomatosis withpolyangiitis (GPA) • 2008

"The only true form of help is self-help. You have to be willing to do the work to get help. If you don’t make that decision you’ll never get the help you need."

MITCHELL HOROWITZ | VF Patient Hero 2022

Granulomatosis withpolyangiitis (GPA) • 2021

“You gather the best information youcan, then make the best decision you can, based on that information. Then don’t look back, you can’t change anything.”

— Mitch Horowitz

Introducing Our 2020-2021 VCRC-VF Fellow: Kinanah Yaseen, MD

Kinanah Yaseen, MD, was awarded the 2020 Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)-Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Fellowship. She is currently a junior faculty member in the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases at Cleveland Clinic. Her interests involve all forms of vasculitis, especially small vessel vasculitis including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis, […]

Introducing Our 2022-2023 VCRC-VF Fellow: Mohanad M. Elfishawi, MBBCh, MS

Mohanad M. Elfishawi, MBBCh, MS, began his one-year Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)-Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Fellowship on January 1, 2022. Dr. Elfishawi will be working on several projects in giant cell arteritis (GCA) including investigating metabolic risk factors for GCA. In addition, he plans to study aortic involvement in patients with GCA and the risk of […]

Physician with GPA Continues Medical Career Despite Facing Obstacles and Discrimination

By Gary Salzman, MD (Edited by Nina Silberstein) A diagnosis of vasculitis changed my life, but I didn’t let it ruin it. Today, I’m a 69-year-old retired physician living in Scottsdale, Arizona, who mainly practiced Geriatric Medicine, but I was also certified in Internal Medicine, and Hospice and Palliative Care. I’m married but due to […]

UNC’s Multidisciplinary Vasculitis and Connective Tissue Disease Clinic Offers Patients Team-Oriented Approach to Care

Autoimmune diseases are complicated conditions that can impact many organ systems in a patient. Typical models of care with providers spread out in different offices can lead to delays in diagnosis and slow down treatment options, while confusing patients as to who is making the decisions. At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s […]

Twin Siblings Specializing in Vasculitis Are Working Together at KUMC

Kelly Liang, MD, and her twin sister, Kimberly Liang, MD, both joined the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) in December 2021. Kelly is currently Associate Professor of Medicine in KUMC’s Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, and Kimberly is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Allergy, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology. The doctors hope […]

Co-Directors of Vanderbilt’s Vasculitis Clinic say it’s Critical to Have a Multidisciplinary Approach to Care

As we have come to understand that vasculitis can affect literally any organ system, the focus at Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s (VUMC’s) Vasculitis Clinic from the beginning has been on forging relationships with clinical collaborators from all specialties. They come from a variety of disciplines and have been called upon to help evaluate and manage […]

Rheumatology Fellow’s Current Research Offers Improved Guidance to Women with Vasculitis in all Areas of Reproduction

For women of reproductive age, having a family is a natural inclination, and one that brings great joy to them and their families. While complications can occur during pregnancy in women with vasculitis, there is little comprehensive, prospective data on the topic. Fortunately, current research offers improved guidance to these women in all areas of […]

2019 VCRC/VF Fellow Joins UPMC as Vasculitis Center Director

Note: Sebastian Sattui, MD, MS, completed his Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium-Vasculitis Foundation (VCRC-VF) fellowship at the end of June 2021. Dr. Sattui was at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City for four years and during the first two years, he focused on his general rheumatology training. The last two years, he concentrated […]

Introducing Our 2020-2021 VCRC-VF Fellow: Alvise Berti, MD

Dr. Berti began his work in vasculitis while he was a medical student at Vita-Salute San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy. At the time, Dr. Berti recognized that vasculitis was not very well understood, and being both curious and motivated to further explore this group of diseases, he realized that he wanted to become a […]

First Pediatric Rheumatologist Awarded 2021 VCRC-VF Fellowship

Jessica Bloom, MD, MSCS, has been awarded the 2021 Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC)-Vasculitis Foundation (VF) Fellowship. Dr. Bloom is currently an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado- Denver, Attending Physician in Pediatric Rheumatology at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora, and the first pediatric rheumatologist in the VCRC-VF Fellowship program. Her primary […]