 Name: Shelly Mattson
Location: Wisconsin, USA
Organization: The National Hemophilia Foundation
Birth date: October 30, 1985
Interests: Reading, Writing Poetry, Biking, and Camping
Favorite Music: The Beatles, Savage Garden, Billy Joel
Favorite Movies: Ghost Busters, The Notebook
Favorite Books: The Diary of Anne Frank, The Giver
Favorite Quote: “Do or do not – there is no try” - Yoda
Keep an eye out for this face
It is amazing how 21-year-old Shelly Mattson manages to keep up her cheerful exuberance and constant energy despite her very busy schedule. Entering her third year at the University of Wisconsin, Shelly balances school with many other activities, including chairing the National Hemophilia Foundation’s Youth Leadership Council and serving on the board of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation. This year, Shelly was one of 18 outstanding young leaders chosen to receive a bursary for the Hemophilia World Congress. She describes the opportunity as an eye-opening experience.
“I had no idea how bad things are in some countries and that sometimes the only options are cryoprecipitate and ice,” says Shelly. “We are really lucky in the U.S. to have many options as far as treatment goes. There are still a lot of flaws with our system, however, including the availability of health insurance.”
Shelly has von Willebrand disease (vWD) and was most interested in the Congress sessions that furthered her knowledge of the condition. “It was really interesting to hear perspectives from experts in other countries, as opposed to just the American views on things. There are different options available in different countries for treatment of vWD simply because some of the products are not yet approved in the U.S. by the FDA.”
Eager to share her new insights with her peers and her family, Shelly vows to continue to push for continued international dialogue. “I think that in the U.S., we don’t know enough of what goes on in the world of hemophilia. We can learn a lot from other countries, just as they can learn a lot from us. We can grow to accept and embrace differences and work together to improve the quality of life for all people affected by bleeding disorders.”
Last Updated October 2006 |
