Tomball Magnolia Potpourri - Sports
Family walking to keep crippling disease from being overlooked
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| Tomball residents (top, left to right) Rita, Christian, Damian, Alexandra, Aaron, (bottom) and Ray Gonzalez will be participating in the Houston Hemophilia Walk which takes place in downtown Houston, Sept. 6. |
By DUSTIN BASS
Maybe it’s a little misunderstood or perhaps it’s just not as publicized as other diseases such as AIDS and cancer, but it doesn’t change the fact that hemophilia is a crippling and, too often, fatal disease. But those who live with the disease come together just as those who wear the pink and do what they can to prevent the disease from destroying more lives. But much like many life-altering, and, at times, life-threatening diseases, more research, more money, and, sadly enough, more lives must be given before a cure is found.
Rita Gonzalez, of Tomball, is very familiar with this ill stricken burden since two of her three sons have the condition, but its not to the point where it overwhelms her.
She is a member of the Lone Star Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and she, along with her family which includes her husband, Ray, her three sons, Christian, Damian, Aaron, and her daughter, Alexandra, will be walking in this year’s Houston Hemophilia Walk, Sept. 6, to raise money and awareness for the research that goes to fighting the condition.
“The Hemophilia Walk is important because it allows my family, friends, and acquaintances to become active in helping my sons and people with bleeding and clotting disorders,” she said. “Prior to now, friends have only met a few, if any, people with hemophilia.”
She said that the Walk puts a face to a rare condition. She said it empowers people to “do something” about it rather than just reaching in their pockets to give. They get to know about the disease and see it first hand.
“For young people with the condition, this is a very empowering activity,” she said. “They can invite others into their world in a simple, fun, active way. Everyone benefits.”
Gonzalez said she hopes that people will begin to understand more about the illness through these walks and other events and organizations.
“Hemophilia definitely gets overlooked amongst disorders that are very serious and more commonly heard about,” she said. “It is not unusual to have to explain hemophilia, even to medical personnel. Activities such as this Walk and the attention that it attracts help to get the word out that ours is a rare yet very expensive condition.”
She said living with hemophilia is different than it used to be because of the advancement in medicine and procedures.
“Today, there are many victories about living with hemophilia,” Gonzalez said. “Medication is clean and usually readily available. Learning to self infuse at home is more widespread, and there are more associations to assist those with bleeding disorders.”
But it doesn’t change the fact that everyday brings its battles, but she said her family doesn’t view day to day life as a struggle.
“Once the condition is made ’normal,’” she said, “that is once you incorporate the need for every other day intravenous infusions, the clear speaking about hemophilia with school nurses, the need to spend a certain amount of time per month handling insurance issues, and other such needs into a routine, life becomes less stressful.”
Gonzalez said the Walk is a very empowering opportunity to help her family and to teach others about the condition.
She said people can volunteer in the many activities that the Chapter offers throughout south Texas and in the Houston area and can contribute funds.
Rita Gonzalez, of Tomball, is very familiar with this ill stricken burden since two of her three sons have the condition, but its not to the point where it overwhelms her.
She is a member of the Lone Star Chapter of the National Hemophilia Foundation and she, along with her family which includes her husband, Ray, her three sons, Christian, Damian, Aaron, and her daughter, Alexandra, will be walking in this year’s Houston Hemophilia Walk, Sept. 6, to raise money and awareness for the research that goes to fighting the condition.
“The Hemophilia Walk is important because it allows my family, friends, and acquaintances to become active in helping my sons and people with bleeding and clotting disorders,” she said. “Prior to now, friends have only met a few, if any, people with hemophilia.”
She said that the Walk puts a face to a rare condition. She said it empowers people to “do something” about it rather than just reaching in their pockets to give. They get to know about the disease and see it first hand.
“For young people with the condition, this is a very empowering activity,” she said. “They can invite others into their world in a simple, fun, active way. Everyone benefits.”
Gonzalez said she hopes that people will begin to understand more about the illness through these walks and other events and organizations.
“Hemophilia definitely gets overlooked amongst disorders that are very serious and more commonly heard about,” she said. “It is not unusual to have to explain hemophilia, even to medical personnel. Activities such as this Walk and the attention that it attracts help to get the word out that ours is a rare yet very expensive condition.”
She said living with hemophilia is different than it used to be because of the advancement in medicine and procedures.
“Today, there are many victories about living with hemophilia,” Gonzalez said. “Medication is clean and usually readily available. Learning to self infuse at home is more widespread, and there are more associations to assist those with bleeding disorders.”
But it doesn’t change the fact that everyday brings its battles, but she said her family doesn’t view day to day life as a struggle.
“Once the condition is made ’normal,’” she said, “that is once you incorporate the need for every other day intravenous infusions, the clear speaking about hemophilia with school nurses, the need to spend a certain amount of time per month handling insurance issues, and other such needs into a routine, life becomes less stressful.”
Gonzalez said the Walk is a very empowering opportunity to help her family and to teach others about the condition.
She said people can volunteer in the many activities that the Chapter offers throughout south Texas and in the Houston area and can contribute funds.
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