HeroPath

Mental Health Challenges in the Bleeding Disorders Community

Mental Health Awareness Week begins May 15, so it’s a perfect time to think about mental health challenges that individuals with bleeding disorders and their families may often face.

People with chronic illness experience difficulties that can contribute to the development of depression, and people with bleeding disorders such as hemophilia are no exception. As early as childhood, people with hemophilia may have difficulty forming and maintaining friendships due to frequent surgeries and hospital stays, or because they need to avoid activities that other children are free to enjoy. They may appear “different” from their peers because of bruises, needle marks, or swollen joints, which can make them targets for teasing or bullying. As a result, they may struggle with social isolation, body image issues, and chronic pain, which can contribute to depression.

Social isolation and its role in depression can be a problem for people with a bleeding disorder into adulthood. Indeed, lack of social support has been noted as an important risk factor for depression in a study of adult men with hemophilia. In the same study, lack of employment emerged as another important risk factor. With a bleeding disorder, there are additional challenges to finding and keeping a job, such as the need for flexibility, adequate medical insurance benefits, and an employer who supports the rights of someone living with a chronic disorder.

Another mental health challenge for people with a bleeding disorder relates to the use of opioid medications to manage pain associated with joint bleeds and surgeries. Because patients often need effective pain relief, opioids have a distinct place in their treatment. Some individuals may be concerned about addiction. For this reason, it’s important to work with a health care professional with an expertise in pain management when considering opioid treatment.

During Mental Health Awareness week and beyond, patients, parents, and caregivers should be aware of these mental health challenges. Together, we can support each other—and ourselves—throughout our bleeding disorder communities.


To get support, resources, and more to overcome challenges like mental health in your life, reach out to your local community chapter. Eligible individuals can also sign up for the HeroPath™ program and receive a personal mentor/life coach who can help keep you focused on your goals and what’s ahead. Learn more at www.mynovosecure.com.

This is a sponsored message from Novo Nordisk®.
Learn more at http://www.novonordisk.com.

HeroPath™ is a trademark of Likone Corporation.
Novo Nordisk is a registered trademark of Novo Nordisk A/S.

Submit Your Application for HeroPath™ Today!

Navigating adulthood is challenging enoughfrom asserting your independence, to building relationships, to choosing a direction in life. Living with hemophilia can make this life stage even more complex, which is where HeroPath™ comes in. Apply to HeroPath™ today for the chance to work with talented life coaches and your peers to learn new skills and techniques to help you excel in your daily life and chart a clear path forward.

What: For the second year in a row, Novo Nordisk has partnered with Jeffrey Leiken, CEO at Evolution Mentoring International, to offer HeroPath™, an empowering program that offers life coach and peer support to help teens ages 16-19 and adults ages 20-25.

Who: Given the hemophilia community’s positive feedback from HeroPath™ 2014, Novo Nordisk has expanded the program so that all people with hemophilia A or B (with or without inhibitors) ages 16-25 who live in the United States and are privately insured may apply.

How: Visit the HeroPath™ website  to complete your official HeroPath™ application, which requires answering several multiple-choice questions and providing a short written explanation (up to 150 words) of why you are a great fit for the program. Not one for writing? You can provide a 60-second video explanation instead—just upload your video to YouTube™ and paste the URL into the application form. Check out the website for sample responses to help get your creative juices flowing.

When: All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, June 15, 2015. Jeff will select up to 50 participants based on their answers to the multiple-choice questions and the level of creativity and original thought conveyed through their short-response or video entries. Entries will be judged on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified of their selection as early as Tuesday, June 16, 2015.

Why: Up to 50 selected participants will attend one of two unforgettable kickoff weekends with Jeff, his team of expert coaches, and fellow peers.

Kickoff one: July 31-August 2, 2015
Up to 25 participants
Ages: 20-25
Location: Philadelphia, PA

Kickoff two: August 7-9, 2015
Up to 25 participants
Ages: 16-19
Location: Philadelphia, PA


Spanish-speaking coaches and Spanish interpreters will be on-site at the kickoff weekends. After the kickoffs, all participants will continue to receive personalized, one-on-one monthly coaching for the following year.

See what some of last year’s participants had to say about HeroPath™:
·        Introducing the HeroPath™ Program
·        HeroPath™: What This Program Means to Me


What parents need to know: HeroPath™ isn’t just a weekend retreat—it’s a yearlong program designed to help offer participants the tools to identify:
·        Their professional career paths based on interests, strengths, talents, and natural inclination.
·        The types of people to associate with personally and professionally
·        The kind of person they want to be (Jeff and his team will help participants give voice to their own values)


For some participants, it may be their first time away from home. HeroPath™ will allow them to meet peers with similar experiences and challenges. The program is structured to provide participants with resources to help them better manage their state, stay focused, and make better decisions under pressure.

Selected participants (and guardian if the participant is younger than 18) will receive travel details 2 to 4 weeks before the kickoff weekend once all their required paperwork is complete. A planning team also will be available via phone and e-mail in the weeks leading up to the kickoff to address outstanding questions. Details will be included in the official program welcome letter.



This is a paid announcement by BioSector 2

Be a Hero!

To continue with our updates of programs and services from Pharma, here’s a new and exciting one!

Jeffrey Leiken Master Trainer at Evolution Mentoring

Remember when you were evolving from a teenager to a young adult – trying to assert your independence, work through all the social politics of high school, and figure out the direction of your life? Then consider the challenges of living with hemophilia on top of that – it can add a whole other layer of complexity. That’s why Novo Nordisk is offering HeroPath™ to help youths between ages 15 and 20 better navigate this transitional life stage.

HeroPath will be led by Jeffrey Leiken, Master Trainer at Evolution Mentoring and creator of HeroPath – you may remember his passionate speech about life transitions and personal growth at National Hemophilia Foundation’s 2013 Annual Meeting. HeroPath  will focus on helping participants grow their skills for success in areas including relationships, education, and careers.

Here’s the exciting part: Up to 25 selected US participants with hemophilia A or B* between ages 15-20 will have the opportunity to work directly with Leiken, his team of expert coaches, and their peers at a kickoff weekend in Chicago from August 22-24, as well as continue to receive personalized monthly coaching for the following year.

Visit http://www.changingpossibilities-us.com/HeroPath to complete your official HeroPath™ application, including several multiple-choice questions and an up to 150-word explanation of why you are a great fit for the program. Prefer not to write? Provide a 60-second video explanation instead – just upload your video to YouTube™ and paste the URL into the application form!

All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 17, 2014. Leiken will select up to 25 participants based on responses to the multiple-choice questions and the level of creativity and original thought conveyed through the essay or video entry.

What parents need to know: HeroPath™ isn’t just a weekend retreat – it’s a yearlong program designed to help offer teens or young adults the tools to identify:
·        What direction to move in professionally based on interests, strengths, talents, and natural proclivities
·        What kind of people to associate with personally and professionally (Leiken and his team will help participants give voice to their own values)
·        What kind of person they want to be

HeroPath™ is also structured to help develop their ability to manage their state, stay focused, and perform under pressure to help make better decisions.

Questions? See Complete Official Rules at www.changingpossibilities-us.com/HeroPath for details.

*Participants cannot be on a federal health care program.

This sevice announcement was sponsored by Novo Nordisk.

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