Meet your support team: Leisa
Case Manager since February 2007
Many years in the business world had left Leisa feeling unfulfilled and in need of a change. She wanted to help people and make a difference like her mother before her, who was a nurse in World War II. Following in the footsteps of the woman she calls “the finest human being I have ever known,” Leisa went into healthcare. It was a decision that was, in her words, “my best to date!”
Another great choice on Leisa’s part was joining the OneSource team. She read about Soliris and was excited about the therapy and its potential to impact a patient’s life. Today she is humbled by the role she plays in her patients’ well-being and loves developing relationships with them and their families and caregivers. She says, “I am here to listen and help where I can. No question or concern is without merit.”
Leisa remembers the role she played in helping a man who was unsure about starting Soliris. She spoke with him, his wife, and his son. She even put him in touch with another patient on Soliris. After consulting with his doctor, he decided to start Soliris therapy. He feels better. He’s able to travel. He’s even visited family he hasn’t seen in over 20 years.
And if insurance issues come up, Leisa’s there to help. It’s just an example of why Leisa loves being an Alexion Nurse Case Manager. “I can make a difference in someone’s life and be a service to them,”
she says.
If Leisa has one suggestion to offer patients, it would be to take it one day at a time, and manage what they can on a daily basis. She also thinks it’s important for patients to remember that they’re not alone.
Click here to find out what tools Leisa recommends to help manage PNH.
Meet your support team: Terry
Case Manager since January 2007
Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, Terry knew she wanted a career where
“the work would be meaningful, fulfilling and rewarding.” Nursing offered her the opportunity to do just that. It also allowed her to work in a variety of roles and environments–from being on a hospital staff to collaborating with a healthcare software company.
However, when Terry learned that Alexion was looking for nurses who had experience working with patients with ultra-rare diseases, she knew she found her calling. Having personally experienced the devastating illnesses of two siblings and her father, Terry understands the emotional, social, and financial impact diseases can have on an individual and his or her family. She also knows how important a strong support team, both personal and professional, can be. Terry brings this experience with her as an Alexion Nurse Case Manager, where she’s committed to helping patients and their families. “As an Alexion Nurse Case Manager, I have been able to offer and provide personal support to my patients, not just during our scheduled phone calls, but also whenever they need me,” she says.
Terry credits her parents for having helped to develop her dedication and compassion. They taught her that, “The work I do is a reflection of who I am.” As a parent, Terry continues to practice this belief as an example for her own son.
Visit the Resource section to see the tools and resources Terry and other members of the OneSource support team recommend.
Meet your support team: Adrianne
Case Manager since May 2009
Losing a sibling to leukemia made a lasting impression on Adrianne. It’s what drove her to work in a field where she could help others and improve their quality of life. She was attracted to the opportunity of being an Alexion Nurse Case Manager because, as she says, “It allowed me to play a key role in transforming patients’ lives.”
Adrianne believes being a creative problem solver is at the core of what makes an effective Case Manager. She enjoys using her creative side, which she says comes in handy because “There’s no such thing as a routine day at Alexion.” She recalls one example when she helped a patient return to the Philippines to visit family for the first time in more than 10 years. She had to help him find a physician in the Philippines, as well as arrange for the transportation of Soliris to the physician’s office. Thanks to Adrianne’s efforts, her patient had a fantastic time on his trip, visiting with family he hadn’t seen in more than a decade.
“I find it very rewarding to see the impact my efforts have in the lives of my patients and their families. I feel extremely blessed and privileged to serve this population,” she says.
Much of Adrianne’s inspiration comes from Mother Teresa. She’s particularly motivated by Mother Teresa’s famous quote, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
If Adrianne has one suggestion to offer patients, it would be to maintain a journal. She says that, after undergoing therapy for a while, patients can sometimes forget how far they have come and how much their quality of life has improved. That’s why she likes to go over this information with her patients during routine calls. It helps to keep things in perspective and on track.
Adrianne recommends a specific tool to help track your symptoms.
Find out what it is in the Resource section.
Meet your support team: Pam
Case Manager since August 2009
It was during the summer of Pam’s freshman year of college that her mother experienced a devastating stroke, resulting in a coma that kept her in the hospital for a full month. While this was no doubt a difficult time for Pam and her family, the nurses at the hospital helped them get through it. They listened to Pam’s questions and provided answers and advice. And it was thanks to their help that her mother, though half paralyzed, was able to walk down the aisle at Pam’s wedding.
“I remember saying to myself, if I could ever help someone like these nurses helped us, I would consider my life’s work to be a success,” she says.
It’s not surprising that Pam chose to go into nursing. After working as case manager for 12 years, Pam became an Alexion Nurse Case Manager. She loves her job because it gives her the chance to develop trusting relationships with people and make a difference in their lives. She believes that even the simple things she shares with her patients are important—a laugh, a good story, working through a particular concern. Pam feels especially proud when her patients tell her of their progress on Soliris. “I love to hear that they are now not napping during the day, or that they are planning a vacation, or they just scrubbed the kitchen floor and were shocked that they still have energy. As an Alexion Nurse Case Manager, I get to hear from the patients firsthand what a difference Soliris has made on their lives. What a great place to be!”
If Pam has one suggestion to offer her patients, it would be to remember that she is there for them. She believes communication is an important part of treatment. That’s why, in her words, “I make myself available 24/7 for my patients to call with any questions or concerns. Sometimes it is just the simple act of listening, like my mother’s nurses did for us.”
What tool does Pam use to help communicate with her patients? Click here to find out.
