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[Andy Battaglia]

Lisa, today is your birthday. I so wish you were here to celebrate with us and I can't help but think about how much has changed in the 14 years since you've been gone, and what a difference to your own life these changes would have made. People are cured from hepatitis C today in a relatively easy course of a drug. No more yearlong courses of interferon and all of its side effects. No more hepatitis roaring back after the course of the drug was finished. We have two oral chelators available now. No more reliance on a drug to which you had grown hypersensitive. Yeah, Ferriprox was finally approved in the US, but too late for you. They finally released Exjade after so many years of promise, but again, too late for you. It's really sad to think about how you could have survived if today's treatments were available in 2004, but it's also really encouraging seeing just how much has changed in those years and how many lives are now being saved. It's a reminder to us all that treatment has changed quickly and will continue to do so in the future. It's a reminder that the patients of today need to do their very best to take care of themselves today, because that brighter tomorrow of yesterday is already a reality and the brighter tomorrow we see now will be here faster than you may think.

Happy Birthday, Lisa. You would be so pleased to see the progress. I know you felt like you had a great life and lacked nothing, but we all would still rather have you here with us today.

[Dharmesh]

Dear Lisa, Happy Birthday !!!

We Miss You 

@ Andy,

Very touchy post... You are doing the job daily which is making feel her proud wherever she is....

[zahra]

May God bless both you and Lisa. You have done so much for thalassemics worldwide
Zahra