2024 will be Team Heney Hemophiliacs’ second  in-person Unite for Bleeding Disorders walk. Hemophilia has a long history in our family tree.

We walk in memory of John J Finnegan, my “Pa” (1st generation bleeder).

It was first discovered when my grandfather was serving in the military, after a long history of joint bleeds, bruising and bleeding . He had a tooth pulled and bled so badly that he needed a transfusion...this led to his diagnosis and was also the contributing factor in his contraction of Hepatitis C.

We walk for my Mom, Peggy (2nd generation bleeder).

Years later my mother was diagnosed after almost dying from severe blood loss during surgery. Thankfully an on-call hematologist reviewed her chart and saw the hemophilia diagnosis of her father. She was given an emergency infusion of factor that saved her life.

We walk for our cousin Dean (2nd generation bleeder)

Dean will be joining us for his first walk this year!

We walk for me, Jackie Heney (3rd generation bleeder).

After my mothers near death experience, I decided to get tested and was diagnosed with Hemophilia and Von Willebrand's Disease. This diagnosis, although coming later in life, undoubtedly saved me from the same complications during surgery that plagued my mother and grandfather.

We also walk for our 4 year son JJ (4th generation bleeder).

Despite being a “mild” hemophiliac, he bleeds more severely. He takes his infusions like a champ and usually cheerfully proclaims “piece of cake!” at the end, making the nurses laugh every time.

We walk in gratitude for our incredible care and support teams: the HTC at Northwell LIJ (shoutout to Nurse Practitioner Joe!), our home infusion nurse, Ebony, and our NYCHC family!

“Mild” hemophilia has proven to impact our lives every day since JJ was born. We walk to increase public awareness of bleeding disorders. We hope that continued research and scientific advancement will lead to an easier future for him and all hemophiliacs.

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