Derick & Jen’s Story

I met Derick when he was 14 years old. I was a couple months into my new job at the hemophilia treatment center, and Derick was just getting into what would become a cycle of substance abuse. He was self-medicating for the mental health issues he’d been experiencing for years. In addition to his struggles with behavioral health, Derick had severe hemophilia. But Derick was so much more than his diagnoses. Derick was outgoing and chatty with an easy smile. He was also wickedly smart, and he had plans. Derick was going to re-enroll in school and study forensics. He was determined to make a difference. His first step to getting there was to get the help he knew he needed.

When Derick was ready to get help, I reached out to multiple substance use disorder facilities and was essentially told the same thing each time: Derick was not eligible for admission due to his hemophilia. Facilities were not willing or able to assume the liability associated with having a patient who required infusion medication. Without access to the treatment he needed, Derick overdosed and he died. He was 20 years old.

Derick had the courage to acknowledge that he could not beat his behavioral health issues on his own and reached out. I still can’t help but wonder what if the facilities had been willing to take him and he got the treatment he needed.

Derick, both in life and death, taught me the importance of advocacy. He reminded me that it’s okay to ask for help, and to never give up. The Bleeding Disorder Substance Use and Mental Health Access Coalition (BD SUMHAC) began because of Derick’s story and we honor his life as BD SUMHAC continues the fight for access for the entire bleeding disorders community every day.