By Felix Garcia
The line at the registration table, the name tags with funny labels such as Disruptive, Bro-ster, and This Side Up (pointing the wrong way, of course)—and new this year, color-coded lanyards to signify contact comfort level given COVID-19, are all familiar parts of entering the HFA Symposium experience.
I missed attending the Symposium the last couple of years, though I didn’t realize how much until I was there. I even wore my name tag every day. Yes, that was an accomplishment for me! Like someone who has been deprived of basic needs and then values them that much more once they’re available, I appreciated being at the Symposium. There was so much to take in this year!
In San Antonio, Texas, April 20-23rd, HFA took precautions to help protect those in attendance from COVID-19. A mask mandate was in place, and as mentioned, our lanyards were color-coded, indicating our contact comfort level. Red meant “Keep your distance, please!” Orange, “Let’s talk but no hug.” And green signified, “Get over here—I missed you!” Okay, maybe green didn’t mean that exactly, but that’s what it felt like! As expected with our caring and compassionate community, everyone was respectful of each other’s preferences. I wore green—what can I say? I’m a hugger, missed my bleeding disorder family, and threw caution to the wind. Also, attendees could exchange their lanyard for another color if they opted to change comfort levels during the event.
Throughout the Symposium, attendees wore masks except while eating, so there was a lot of looking at someone, almost sure you recognized their eyes, but needing a peek of their face to be positive. It was a little funny to reunite with friends after flashing our faces.
If the Symposium was only about reuniting community members, the event was entirely successful. Lucky for us, they didn’t stop there. The variety of sessions was a hit, and the diversity of subjects, topics of inclusion, and the realization of all who are included in our community was impressive.
As an adult with severe hemophilia, I looked for particular topics like joint health and aging with hemophilia; as an adult who grew up in the 70s and 80s, I’m interested in other areas such as coping with co-morbidities and the remembrance ceremony. They were both available. Thank you, HFA, for remembering that we, the 3H generation—hemophilia, hepatitis, and HIV—still exists, and we needed a session of our own to attend with our spouses, partners, and loved ones.
Looking through the agenda schedule, most could find something of interest. Parent programs? Check. Children’s programs? Check. VWD programs? Check. Bleeding disorders and the LGBTQIA+ community? Check. How about sessions for rare bleeding disorders? Check again!
No matter your perspective or how a bleeding disorder impacts your life, HFA planned a session for you.
As others had mentioned, this year’s exhibit hall felt different. It had nothing to do with the booth setups or the give-away items. It took me two days of the designated hours to get through the hall because it was a time to reunite and catch up on the last few years. It was a wonderful opportunity to visit the booths, talk with the representatives, and learn about new products and services that have been introduced over the past couple of years. Though I’ve attended Zoom sessions with many of the people I saw at HFA, the exhibit hall provided a chance to catch up face-to-face. It was a breath of fresh air, even through a mask!
The HFA Annual Symposium has always represented a family reunion for me. Seeing brothers and sisters from all over the country and having the chance to share our family and life issues is a beautiful thing. Our bleeding disorders family is unlike any other. Blood family is cherished, and our bleeding disorders family holds a special place in our hearts and lives. We were finally reunited, and it felt so good!
Bravo HFA, you did us proud!
Hemophilia Federation of America
2023 Symposium
April 13-16 | Orlando, Florida
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