Gather your team of friends, family, and colleagues and take part in the Steps for Hope: ABDA’s Behcet's Awareness Walk October 13th, 2024 at FDR Park, Philadelphia, PA. The walk is scheduled for a 5K, or however long you'd like to walk with us.
Lace up your shoes, step out, and join us on this journey towards a brighter future. We will have games, food vendors, raffles, and more!
Together, we can achieve great things and show our support for the American Behcet’s Disease Association and Behcet's awareness. Become part of the movement that brings hope and support to individuals and their families.
Virtual Walk - Register Here
Gather your team of friends, family, and colleagues and take part in the Steps for Hope: ABDA’s Virtual Behcet's Awareness Walk. If you cannot walk with us in person October 13th, by participating in this virtual event, you can make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by Behçet's Disease.
Become part of the movement that brings hope and support to individuals and their families. Use the link below provided to join the live stream of the walk, we look forward to seeing you there (virtually)!
Link to join livestream
In partnership with our Medical Advisory Board, the ABDA is creating a USA Behcet's Symptom Survey
It's been 10+ years since a research-quality, USA-focused Behcet's symptom survey was published
Explore your Medicare Coverage Options
Learn more about Medicare Part D and enroll in a plan here.
By popular demand, the Vasculitis Foundation is launching a new Young Adult Support Group for patients ages 18-30. The support group meetings will take place at 7 p.m. CT on the third Monday of every month. Register here for our inaugural meeting on Oct. 21 and connect with other young adults who are living with vasculitis. Share tips, ask questions, voice frustrations, celebrate victories, and support each other in the journey.
MISSION MOMENT: KIM FISHER SHARES HER PERSONAL STORY TO MAKE AN IMPACT
About eleven years ago, I returned home after a long day, exhausted and yearning for rest. As I pulled into my driveway, I experienced sudden chest pain, dizziness, and a racing heart. Despite my initial reluctance to seek medical help, my husband insisted, and we went to the emergency room. There, tests revealed abnormalities indicating a possible heart attack. After stabilization and a series of tests, I was diagnosed with pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart's outer layer, and advised to rest and take medication.
However, my condition worsened over the following years, presenting with severe symptoms such as headaches, chest pain, and episodes resembling strokes. Despite numerous hospital visits and consultations with various specialists, my symptoms remained unexplained until I was eventually diagnosed with Behçet's Disease, a rare vasculitis that causes widespread inflammation affecting multiple organs, including the cardiovascular system. This diagnosis finally clarified the cause of my repeated health crises.
Now, seven years later, with appropriate treatment and a dedicated care team, I am grateful to be alive and committed to raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases and Behçet's Disease. My journey underscores the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment and fuels my mission to prevent others from enduring similar struggles. Thank you all for being here today and supporting the life-saving work of the American Heart Association that helps patients like me, you, and the ones we love.
- By Kimberly Fisher, who shared her story at American Heart Association's Wilmington Heart Walk.
View Rarirty Life past editions here.
