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What do an artist, video producer and caterer have in common? All three – Bobbie, Michelle and Betty—have been able to go back to doing what they love thanks to PAN help in getting medications that have improved their health and given them hope. Read their inspiring stories and others here. Mark W. - Kidney Transplant Immunosuppressants
Since 1988, Mark Weissenbach has made his home in Midland, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. For a while, Mark sold insurance – property, casualty, life, and health. And it was that experience that gave him his first glimpse of the tough choices that underinsured people have to make. "I met many people who had to decide whether to pay their rent or buy food or pay their insurance premium, and that's a terrible predicament to be in," says Mark. Read More Marlene - Multiple Myeloma
In the spring of 2004, Marlene and Bill Laidlaw were enjoying retirement and preparing for their third volunteer camping trip to Yosemite National Park. Then Marlene’s doctor uttered the words “multiple myeloma” and plans changed. Read More Michelle - Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ever since she was a child, Michelle De Long has made a conscious effort to lead a healthy and active lifestyle. “I’ve always tried to make sure that I’m doing something healthy, going to the gym, walking, running, backpacking across Europe,” says Michelle. But despite her deep desire to stay fit, Michelle, 42, has always been faced with puzzling health issues from the time she young. Read More Betty - Rheumatoid Arthritis
They say if you do what you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Betty Nichols figured that out for herself a long time ago. For the Chicago native doing what she loved meant being in the kitchen. “I love to cook. Cooking is my everything,” says the 53-year-old. “I can cook and find peace. My kitchen, I just love being in my kitchen. I love it. I think if I had a bed I could just pull it out and sleep in my kitchen.” Read More Bobbie- Growth Hormone Deficiency
Barbara Heisman-Sokolowski, or “Bobbie” as everyone calls her, is full of energy with a full schedule of painting, teaching, and taking care of Caesar, her poodle Maltese mix. But this vitality and zest for life wasn’t always the case for the 66-year-old. There was a time when it took all of her energy just to get dressed in the morning, and by the time she made it to the front door, she felt like she needed to sit down and rest. Read More Mark Gregory - Hepatitis C
When Mark Gregory was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, during the summer of 2010, it was just the latest in a long list of tragic events he and his family had recently endured. “It was a very sad time,” explained Janet, Mark’s wife. “And it really hit hard. It was just an absolutely sad time in our life.” Mark’s diagnosis came on the heels of his suffering from number of other health issues– including a heart attack and skin cancer – as well as the death of his father. Read More Gerald M. - Multiple Myeloma
“The world was ours,” Gerald explained, “Austria and New Zealand? I’ve been to both. We could decide to fly to Las Vegas first class on the weekend and just go.” When they retired at 62, the McCulloughs settled in and enjoyed their home slightly off the beaten path, just the way they liked it. They lived six years of what Gerald describes as “the best kind of life you can live.” But all of that came to a halt when Gerald was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Read More Do you have a PAN story? Share it!
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