Patricia Moriarty, resident of Old Lyme and rising senior at Phillips Exeter Academy, is having a Hemochromatosis Awareness Week in Old Lyme during the week commencing July 31. Patricia will be holding various events and handing out flyers throughout Old Lyme making people aware of this disease and spreading word on hope.
Hemochromatosis is an iron overload disease that kills many adults and is avoidable through regular phlebotomies. Family members of Patricia’s have suffered from this disease, which became her call to action. July is National Hemochromatosis awareness month and she wants to spread the word throughout Eastern Connecticut.
As part of her awareness campaign, Patricia will be a guest on the radio show Healthy Rounds on WTIC on July 29, with Dr. Anthony Alessi. Patricia lost her grandfather to this disease and is committed to spreading the word on this preventable but deadly disease. Other members of Patricia’s family sought out the simple genetic testing and also have this hereditary and potentially deadly disease. Fortunately, with simple DNA testing and routine blood work, one can avoid the long-term organ damage that results from not seeking periodic phlebotomies throughout the year.
In the fall of 2016, Patricia started The Phillips Exeter Hemochromatosis Awareness Club and has hosted awareness days at her school and at other community events.
Additional information about the club founded by Patricia can be found on her Hemochromatosis Awareness Facebook page, titled Exeter Hemochromatosis Awareness Club.