The Susan Skinner Memorial Fund (SSMF) scholarship program—named in honour of the late Susan Skinner, a passionate advocate for the bleeding disorders community—aims to foster leadership, active engagement and community for individuals in the bleeding disorders community who identify and live as women, and who are between 18 and 60 years old. For women and girls whose struggles often go unheard, the SSMF creates an inter-generational bridge enabling scholars from around the world to learn from one another—and empower each other.
Tatiana Bathfield exemplifies the transformative impact of the SSMF scholarship. As a 2024 scholar, and a founding member of the Mauritian national member organization (NMO), the Haemophilia Association of Mauritius, Tatiana has been a tireless advocate for people with bleeding disorders (PWBDs) in her home country. Her personal experience as the parent of a daughter with severe factor VII deficiency has driven her commitment to enhancing care and support for PWBDs. Since co-founding the NMO in 2009, she has played a crucial role in the organization, including serving on its executive committee as secretary. Following her participation in the WFH 2024 World Congress in Madrid, Spain, as a SSMF scholarship recipient, Tatiana Bathfield was co-opted to the WFH Board of Directors as a Lay Member. In her role as a Lay Member, Tatiana will continue to champion the cause of women and girls with bleeding disorders (WGBDs).
Eric Stolte, President WFH USA; Pamela Wilton, SSMF Scholarship Advisory Group Chair; Tatiana Bathfield, SSMF scholar 2024; Mark W. Skinner, Board Member, WFH USA
I am thrilled to be on this journey and at the same time relieved to have Yannick [my mentor] guide me through this process. I am keen to learn from her past experiences and am looking forward to her advice in all aspects of this mentorship initiative.
—Tatiana Bathfield, SSMF scholar 2024, Mauritius (speaking on her mentor, Yannick Collé, 2022 SSMF scholar)
Yannick Collé—who was awarded the SSMF Scholarship in 2022 and serves as Tatiana’s mentor—has recently been elected President of the Board of L’Association Française des Hémophiles (AFH). This notable achievement marks a significant milestone for the community, as Yannick becomes the first woman with mild hemophilia to assume this role within the organization.
Alice Ho—another of this year’s recipients—lives in Malaysia and founded the Saba Chapter of the East Malaysia Hemophilia Foundation in 2014, following her son’s diagnosis with hemophilia. Her goals are to address the country’s lack of awareness on hemophilia and advocate for better care and access to specialized treaters who can properly care for people living with hemophilia. She has worked tirelessly over the past ten years educating and being a voice for people with bleeding disorders in Malaysia.
Eric Stolte, President WFH USA; Pamela Wilton, SSMF Scholarship Advisory Group Chair; Alice Ho, SSMF scholar 2024; Mark W. Skinner, Board Member, WFH USA
I am really grateful that the Susan Skinner Fund chose me as a scholar, and is giving me this very great opportunity for to mix with worldwide people to share our opinions and knowledge… I’m really grateful to SSMF for giving me this opportunity
—Alice Ho, SSMF scholar 2024, Malaysia
Through the SSMF scholarship, recipients have inspiring opportunities for growth through mentorship, knowledge exchange and global engagement through their participation in the next WFH World Congress, the Global National Member Organization Training (GNMOT) and the WFH Annual Meeting of the General Assembly.
SSMF 2024 scholarship program recipients and leadership
As part of their preparation, scholars are paired with past scholarship recipients through a mentorship initiative, and are offered orientation calls and a webinar. In 2024, the following countries were represented in this mentorship initiative: France, Ireland, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, New Zealand, Pakistan, Senegal, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uruguay. The eight scholars benefited from each other’s diverse and unique perspectives and experiences; this will help them better support the global inherited bleeding disorders community in the years to come.
Join us in creating a lasting impact by empowering the next generation of SSMF scholars! Contribute to the Susan Skinner Memorial Fund today and help provide the tools and guidance these leaders need.
To find out more about the Susan Skinner Memorial Fund (SSMF) scholarship program, click here.