FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 202
Newswise — (Kansas City, MO): Vasculitis is a rare, but often serious autoimmune disease that affects the blood vessels—so rare, in fact, that many medical professionals lack knowledge of the disease and how to diagnose and treat the patients who are seeking help.
A new podcast series called “Vasculitis Visionaries,” launched by the Vasculitis Foundation (VF), is designed to change that. Featuring in-depth interviews with vasculitis medical experts, the podcast series aims to educate patients and the medical community about emerging research and medical developments in vasculitis.
“I always think back to my own vasculitis diagnosis in 2014 and how even my parents, both ER doctors with 25-plus years of experience each, were frustrated about their initial lack of knowledge about vasculitis as they tried to help on my journey toward remission,” said podcast co-host Ben Wilson, a sports broadcaster in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Young Adult Group leader for the VF. “It quickly became obvious that my parents weren’t alone and that a lot of those same frustrations are shared by physicians everywhere.”
Wilson co-hosts the series with Kaley Beins, MPH, a public health practitioner who also has vasculitis. She studies chemical exposures and disease development.
“I’m really excited about this VF podcast because it combines my two loves: science and patient empowerment,” said Beins, also a leader for the VF’s Young Adult Group. “I think that Vasculitis Visionaries supports the VF’s efforts to familiarize medical professionals with vasculitis and serves as an educational resource for those who are already vasculitis experts. It’s a unique series because it flips the script, so to speak, by having patients asking doctors questions.”
The podcast evolved out of a brainstorm last fall between Wilson, Beins, and VF Executive Director Joyce Kullman.
“The podcasts are brilliant,” said Kullman. “Ben and Kaley are engaging and entertaining hosts. We love the back-and-forth between them and their guests. People learn in so many different ways, and this is a great way to connect with our community—our physicians, our researchers, our patients, and their families.”
So far, seven podcast episodes have aired, with more being released every other Friday. The next new release is Friday, June 12, 2020. Recent topics include: Integrative Medicine and Vasculitis; Medical Education and Vasculitis; Self-Advocacy and Diagnosis; Pet Scans and Imaging Technology; and Vasculitis and the Microbiome. Find the podcasts at: www.vasculitisfoundation.org/vascvisionpodcast/. Vasculitis Visionaries is also available on Spotify and iTunes.
About VasculitisVasculitis is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, which can restrict blood flow and damage vital organs and tissues. There are nearly 20 different forms of the disease. There is no cure at this time for vasculitis.
About the Vasculitis FoundationSince 1986, the Vasculitis Foundation has empowered patients through disease education, raising vasculitis awareness in the general public and medical community, and funding research to determine the cause, develop better treatments, and discover a cure.
The VF is committed to improving the lives of current and future patients and is positioned as the definitive resource for patients, family members, medical professionals, and researchers seeking information about vasculitis.
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