All Blog Posts (979)

     The aHUS Alliance, an umbrella group of 15 nations with aHUS patient groups, launched a worldwide survey of aHUS patients and caregivers to mark Rare Disease Day 2016 (29 February).  A similar effort was conducted in partnership with RareConnect in 2014, with 214 respondents from 17 nations and responding to outreach in 6 different languages.  The 2014 poll included questions on common themes familiar…

     The Atypical HUS Foundation is most pleased to announce the expansion of the Doc to Doc Directory, adding three new volunteer physicians, all highly experienced in multiple and specialized aspects of atypical HUS, to our listing providing free consultation via email or phone to fellow doctors worldwide.  Our deepest thanks to all volunteers on the Doc to Doc Directory physician…

     Kamal D. Shah, founder of Atypical HUS India, was honored this week as presenter of a keynote speech for the La Renon TANKER Foundation and his selection for their Sake of Honour Award.  Kamal was diagnosed with atypical HUS in July 1997 at age 22, and received a donated kidney from his mother a year later.  Little was known then about aHUS recurrence, and Kamal’s renal transplant failed within 11 days, requiring him to go back on peritoneal dialysis.  In circumstances to rival any…

Here’s a new way you can help our friends from Australia.  In March 2016 there will be a meeting by the PBAC to determine if Soliris should be provided to aHUS patients who are on dialysis.  You can send a personal submission to the PBAC to show your support of our Australian friends.  We only have until Feb 10, 2016 to send them so please hurry and ask your family and friends to help.  I listed my answers to some of the questions that you may have trouble thinking…

Rare Disease Day is coming soon.  This year is extra rare as the last day of February is the 29^th.   

For those who would like to participate in this year’s video project I’m…

“The fight doesn’t stop until everyone is safe!”  That’s what my friend from Australia, Sarah Mulligan said over a year ago when we were trying to convince the Australian health minister to fund Soliris for aHUS patients.  That held true back then and it holds true now.

A big battle was won in Australia on December 17, 2015 when the PBAC recommended aHUS patients be allowed to continue…

     As 2015 draws to a close, it seems likely that 2016 will bring progress in complement therapeutics development toward clinical use.  Since a hallmark of aHUS is chronic, uncontrolled complement activation, we’re looking forward to what happens in a rapidly moving field which seems promise advancement soon.  (FMI Click Here) As with eculizumab (Soliris ®, from Alexion Pharmaceuticals), we likely will see clinical trials…

As we approach this holiday season, Jana Dodd, reminds us to "Count Your Many Blessings".

In our aHUS community, we often appreciate more of the small things, the mini milestones, and the everyday accomplishments. This is such a gift that we have be given. Everyday is a blessing.

With that said, our first aHUStonishing hero is the sweet Eliza.…

Hey everybody, It's been a long time since I've provided an update on how things are for me so I wanted to take some time to do that. This last quarter of the year, has undoubtedly been the hardest for me since being diagnosed. I've held on to faith and hope that treatment would keep me going but my circumstances have been less than ideal. 

I just ended my (hopefully) last fall semester of college, and it definitely gave me a run for my money. In October I was asked to be a…

Earlier this December I was honored to attend the ASH (American Society of Hematology) conference. I was blown away by the amount of people who attended and humbled to speak with doctors to gain information on the newest technologies for aHUS. The first day there we had a lot of doctors from other countries approach our booth who did not have access to treatment. The remainder of the event we had many doctors and researchers approach us that did not know the foundation existed. Overall, ASH…

Just recently I was asked to tell my story and speak on behalf of the atypical HUS Foundation at the Phoenix meet up. 

My husband and I are from the Dallas Texas area, so we flew out to Phoenix first thing Friday, December 4. We got checked into our hotel and attended the dinner provided by Global Genes. During the dinner, we had an "ice breaking" type activity. The goal was to introduce yourself to the group, tell where you are from, and tell an embarrassing story about…

     Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. distributed a press release on the first day of the American Society of Hematology meeting which was held December 5-8, 2015 in Orlando Florida.  In their December 5^th  2015 press release, they announced that their company would present information regarding Achillion’s small-molecule factor D inhbitors at the 57^th Annual Meeting of the ASH.…

     In a Dec 5, 2015 press release, Akari Therapeutics announced that they will present new data about the efficiacy of Coversin  in eculizumab resistant patients at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting taking place in Orlando from December 5-8.

     Coversin  inhibits complement C5 activity, and is described…

     Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has announced that Alnylam scientists and collaborators will present at ASH the new results from ongoing clinical studies, to include a poster session of particular interest to the aHUS community.  One of its two of its subcutaneously administered investigational drugs, ALN-CC5, currently being explored within the context of paroxysmal…

December 2, 2015

     Ra Pharmaceuticals announced today the launch of a Phase 1 study of its C5 complement inhibitor RA101495.  From the…

iGive.comiGive.com     Taking advantage of Cyber Monday deals or doing holiday shopping online?  Sending flowers for the holidays?  Booking holiday, work, or vacation travel?  The Atypical HUS Foundation supports multiple aHUS education and outreach efforts across America and beyond,as well as issuing an annual call to aHUS researchers seeking grants for projects of direct benefit to aHUS…

     As patients and caregivers we often wonder what constitutes the best standards of care and monitoring for aHUS patients.  With most diseases or disorders, physicians often rely on ‘best practice’ protocols developed by medical experts, adding further meaning to such standards with education provided by their training,  experience gained in practice, and information supplemented by ongoing/updated professional development (e.g. medical conferences).  When a…

     Tonight began the KDIGO Controverseries Conference on Complement-Mediated Kidney Disease, held November 19-21 2015 in Barcelona Spain.   The opening reception was a Who’s Who in the global world of aHUS researchers and clinicians, so I was both humbled and honored to speak with these world class aHUS experts from nations all over the world to include Italy, France, the UK, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Turkey, India, China, and the UK. View the full…