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Fran Mott has been the Chapter Leader in Michigan for the VHL Family Alliance since 1994. What that means is that she is in charge of taking care of people with von Hippel-Lindau throughout Michigan. She retired from this position in 2003.
Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is a genetic cancer syndrome, caused by one tiny misspelling in one gene, the VHL gene. People who carry this alteration are at increased risk of having one or more tumors in a variety of places in the body. There is currently no magical cure, it’s all about watching out for issues, finding them early, and getting the right treatment at the right time.
Fran has worked with physicians at University of Michigan Medical Center and other hospitals throughout the state to become more aware of VHL, diagnose it earlier and more accurately, and help people manage their health. The University of Michigan has created a Clinical Care Center for VHL, part of the CCC program of the VHL Alliance.
Fran is retiring this year after nearly 20 years of volunteer service to her neighbors throughout the state. Joyce speaks with Fran about her experience as a patient herself, a mother, and a volunteer in service to others with this rare disease.
The VHL Alliance will hold its Annual Meeting September 21, 2013, in Ann Arbor, with a dinner September 20 honoring Fran and Dr. James Montie of the U of M.
For information or to register for the meeting, see http://vhl.org/meetings
The VHL Alliance continues to take calls from people throughout the United States and Canada at 1-800-767-4845 (4-VHL). The website at http://vhl.org is the portal to a great deal of important information on VHL for patients and physicians.
