On Saturday, October 18, our community gathered for a wonderful Women’s Brunch at Matchbox in Bethesda. We were thrilled to welcome more than 25 attendees for a morning of learning, connection, and great conversation.

Dr. Claudio Sandoval of Octapharma led an engaging and informative discussion on unique bone density challenges for individuals with bleeding disorders, as well as iron deficiency concerns that many women face. His presentation was insightful and sparked meaningful conversations among participants.

Guests also enjoyed an incredible food experience, sampling a variety of dishes from the Matchbox menu, including favorites like peaches and cream waffles and shrimp and grits.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, and a very special thank you to Dr. Claudio Sandoval for sharing his expertise and making this event a success and for Octapharma for sponsoring the brunch.

Dear HACA Community,

As we step into a new season together, I want to begin by expressing how deeply honored I am to serve as president of HACA. Your resilience, compassion, and commitment inspire me every day, and I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to lead alongside such dedicated individuals.

This year promises to be one of growth, reflection, and renewed purpose. One of our key priorities is expanding outreach and engagement with our Spanish-speaking community. We’re also taking a closer look at our finances, including our scholarship and assistance programs to ensure we can continue the good work we’ve started and sustain it for years to come. We’ve taken a thoughtful step back to reevaluate our planning and events, ensuring they truly serve the needs of our membership. From this process, we’re developing a strategic plan that will guide us forward with clarity and intention.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your help. Please continue to let us know what is important to you, shine light on areas to which we should pay closer attention, and be sure to share your thoughts and ideas with us!

As you know friends, Brenda and Robin work extremely hard to accommodate everyone who expresses interest in attending HACA programs and events, and no-shows make that difficult. If you sign up to attend an event, please honor that commitment and let us know if your plans change. Click here for HACA's updated attendance policy. 

As always, if you need anything—support, information, or just someone to talk to—please reach out to me, Brenda, Robin, or any member of our executive board. We’re here for you.

Take care of yourselves and your families. Let’s make this year one of connection, progress, and lasting impact.

With gratitude,

Shawna Gray

President, Board of Directors

You may have noticed that the HACA Fall Festival and Walk wasn't on the schedule for 2025. After many years of having a fall event, the HACA Factor Dash 5K and Walk is set for Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Lake Accotink Park. We are changing the date, but keeping our walk home! 

Next year's event will include a 5K, as well as the traditional walk. We are teaming up with Bishop Events to have a timed 5K. Look for more details in early 2026. 

HACA's walk program has evolved in the last 30 years. in the 1990s and early 2000s, HACA held a bike ride - the Hemophilia Half 100 - along the W&OD Trail. The name changed to Blood Sweat and Gears, and then eventually Ride or Stride in 2010, when a walk was added along with the bike ride. 

The bike ride decreased in popularity in the early teens, and in 2013, HACA joined NBDF's national walk program, branded back then as the Hemophilia Walk. From 2013-2016, HACA's walk took place at the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall. 

After the 2016 walk, HACA left the national walk program and began hosting its own independent walk, which was branded the Fall Festival and Walk. That event has taken place at Lake Accotink Park since 2017, with a virtual walk in 2020 during COVID. We also moved to Bluemont Park in Arlington for the 2023 walk, but returned to Lake Accotink last year. 

Through the years, chapter members participating in these events have brought in thousands for the chapter through their fundraising efforts. We've also been supported by our many industry partners through sponsorships. 

Thank you to all the individuals, teams, donors and sponsors that have supported this program through the years. We look forward to seeing you at the Factor Dash in May! 

CSL Behring's Gettin' in the Game Junior National Championship is moving to May, and HACA is now taking applications to represent the chapter at next year's event. We will be able to send one athlete from HACA. 

Participants will have the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of their respective sport, participate in friendly competition, and have a chance to connect with fellow members of the bleeding disorders community from across the country. There will also be educational seminars focusing on the importance of physical fitness and other related topics. 

The event takes place May 1-3 in Henderson, NE (right outside Las Vegas), and CSL Behring will cover the cost of transportation and lodging for one participant and their parent or guardian.

This event is for children ages 7-18, and each participant will be able to choose baseball, basketball, golf or swimming. 

This year, the application is through an online form. Each applicant will answer two questions (no more than 100 words) on the form. They are: 1. Why do you want to represent HACA at the Junior National Championship? and 2. What skills or lessons do you hope to learn or gain from this event? 

HACA will choose which applicant will attend the event. Preference will be given to applicants who have not attended in the past. Applications will be accepted until Monday, December 1. 

The Hemophilia Association of the Capital Area gratefully acknowledges our donors who have given so generously. Below are donations received from May 1-September 30, 2025. We have made every effort to ensure all donations are listed. 

Organizations

Bayer Healthcare

Biomatrix Health Group

Colburn-Keenan Foundation

CSL Behring

DrugCo Health

Genentech

Novo Nordisk

Optum Rx

Pfizer

Sanofi

Soleo

Individuals

Tina Brehm

Rhys Conlon

Frank L. Falgiano III

Greg Kessler

Jeffrey Lereah

Jessica Marshall

Judith Miller

Jessica Riojas

Juliana Smith

Amanda Wallace

Want to register for a HACA event? You can do that through our weekly Chapter Connection email, or you can go here on the HACA website to check out the calendar of events. 

Here are some upcoming events: 

Sunday, December 7 - HACA Holiday Gathering, Stacy Sherwood Center, Fairfax, VA

Saturday, March 21, 2026 - Chapter Education Day

Saturday, May 16, 2026 - Factor Dash 5K and Walk