FWGBD Honored Dr. Jeanne Lusher as an Icon in the Movement to Improve Lives of Women and Girls With Blood Disorders

On October 10, 2013, FWGBD paid tribute to Dr. Lusher for being a catalyst and icon of the movement to improve the lives of women and girls with blood disorders. Dr. Lusher and several other dedicated health professionals were instrumental in the formation of our Foundation and it was our honor to pay tribute to her.

Dr. Andra James presented Dr. Lusher with the plaque, and her speech can be found below:

"It is a privilege to be invited, on this special occasion, to say a few words about Jeanne Lusher, a pioneer in the field of women and girls with blood disorders.

I understand that Dr. Lusher's interest in blood disorders began during her pediatric residency at Charity Hospital when she had the opportunity to care for a young girl with hemophilia who was bleeding profusely. Dr. Lusher helped care for the girl and dedicated her career to the study and treatment of blood disorders.

Dr. Lusher went on to have a distinguished career as a clinician, educator and research in blood disorders. Her publications and awards for her work in hemostasis are too numerous to count.

Despite the extraordinary demands on her time and attention, she never forgot about the women and girls with blood disorders.

She and Dr. Seremetis were the first co-chairs of the Women's Task Force of the National Hemophilia Foundation.

I first heard Jeanne Lusher speak in 1998. She was presenting at a satellite symposium on Women and Bleeding Disorders at ASH. She described the association between heavy menstrual bleeding and underlying bleeding disorders. While I was aware that women with bleeding disorders often had heavy menstrual bleeding, it never occurred to me that the converse was true, that women with abnormal reproductive tract bleeding were more likely to have an underlying bleeding disorder. My career path was changed!

In my subsequent clinical practice, teaching and research, I aligned myself with a group of health professionals dedicated to caring for women with blood disorders, including bleeding disorders.

It was in partnership with this group of dedicated health professionals that the Foundation for Women and Girls with Blood Disorders was formed. The mission of the organization is to educate health care providers about the unique needs of women and girls with blood disorders. So on behalf of the Foundation, I would like to present this plaque to Jeanne."