Speakers: Sophie Susen, Cathy Verbraeken
Prof. Sophie Susen is Professor of Medicine (MD) at the department of Hematology of Lille University Hospital in Lille (France) and heads the department of Hemostasis and Transfusion. She is board-certified to practice biology, hematology and transfusion. Her Ph.D and postdoctoral fellowship was based on the role of von Willebrand factor in the context of vascular injury. Her research activity is performed at Inserm Unit 1011 (Lille Nord de France University). She heads a research team working on the role of Von Willebrand Factor and blood flow via different approaches. She is also the national coordinator of reference center for VWD and national coordinator of the French network of rare bleeding disorders treating centers.
Cathy Verbraeken is a member of the EHC von Willebrand Committee and is also the chair of the von Willebrand Committee of the Dutch NMO. Cathy and her two daughters have von Willebrand disease, types 1 and 2N. She is giving her best to advocate for better care, more treatment options, and increased awareness of von Willebrand disease.