EPA Mom Pays It Forward

At 16 months old Wanda McLendon’s son, Ryan, suffered a stroke. Diagnosed with hemophilia, his chances of surviving the surgery to relieve the pressure of a blood clot on his brain were slim. Fortunately the procedure worked.  Ryan and his mother, an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employee, are grateful to the medical professionals and the CFCNCA-supported organization who performed the surgery and provided support.

Diagnosed with hemophilia at birth, a rare bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot normally, he received hepatitis vaccinations as an infant along with the usual inoculations.  This aids in receiving Factor 9, a clotting agent. Ryan’s normal childhood bumps, scrapes and bruises necessitated a trip to an emergency room to save his life.

Wanda credits one of the CFCNCA-supported organizations that focuses on hemophilia with providing education and tools to assist her in caring for her son. Through the organization, Wanda has access to classes, support groups and medical authorities with the skills and knowledge to treat hemophilia.

Today Ryan a healthy young man who works full time, pursues his passion as a singer songwriter and plays the piano for the Ryan Vincent Ford Group.

Wanda volunteers as a CFCNCA Keyworker in EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response and is a key fundraising planner; she is the originator of an annual CFCNCA fundraising event – Soup’s On, which is just part of what she does to give back in gratitude for the support she and her son Ryan receive.