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Empowering the next chapter of global support for individuals with bleeding disorders

Save One Life is proud to announce the election of Michelle Kim as the new President of the Board of Directors. A longstanding advocate and leader in the rare disease and bleeding disorders communities, Michelle brings a wealth of experience, passion, and vision to guide the organization into its next phase of growth and impact.

Michelle officially joins the Board following years of distinguished service in the nonprofit and healthcare advocacy sectors. Most notably, she served as Executive Director of the Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California from 2015 to 2022, where she launched more than ten innovative programs, including leadership initiatives for youth. Her leadership earned her the title of Businesswoman of the Year for Non-Profits in 2019 by her State Senator.

Throughout her career, Michelle has been a tireless champion for underserved communities. She co-founded Familia de Sangre, now the largest Spanish-speaking conference dedicated to bleeding disorders, and developed critical legal resources for patients and families navigating school advocacy, special needs trusts, and immigration challenges.

Michelle is also a published advocate for patient-centered care. She co-authored the article, “Lived experience experts: A name created by us for us,” which calls for deeper inclusion of patient and caregiver voices in research and policy-making. She was nominated and approved by the White House as the only patient advocate member of the ACBTSA (Advisory Committee for Blood and Tissue Safety) reporting to the HHS (recently defunded). 

Her advocacy is deeply personal. For over 20 years, Michelle cared for her daughter, who lived with five rare diseases until her passing in March 2024. This lived experience continues to shape her commitment to improving the lives of families facing similar challenges.

Michelle resides in Southern California with her husband and two sons, one of whom has severe hemophilia A. In her personal time, she enjoys pickleball, fishing, and traveling.

In taking on this new role Michelle shared, “Over the past decade, treatment for bleeding disorders has advanced tremendously. Yet despite this progress, a majority of people around the world still have little to no access to life-saving medications. It is my sincere hope that our community will come together to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those less fortunate. I am truly excited to partner with Cindy and her phenomenal team, whose vision and dedication will help drive this important work forward.”

“We are thrilled to welcome Michelle as our new Board President,” said Cindy Komar, Executive Director of Save One Life. “Her leadership, compassion, and lived experience bring extraordinary strength to help advance our mission and deepen our global impact.”

Save One Life extends its deepest gratitude to its supporters and community members for their continued commitment. With Michelle’s leadership, the organization looks forward to an inspiring new chapter – continuing to change lives, one life at a time.

My Trip to Ukraine

By Tony Hernandez

In early October I went to Europe. More specifically, I went on a dual humanitarian mission focused on helping the people of Ukraine.The first and most important part was being an escort for a great-grandmother to honor her fallen US Marine son who died near the Russo-Ukrainian War frontlines. The second part was to help people with hemophilia, von Willebrand Disease (vWD), and other bleeding disorders.

The grandmother I was escorting is a coworker of mine, Sochi. Her son, USMC Ian Tortorici, was killed Jun 27, 2023 when a short-range ballistic missile hit where he was having dinner. 

In the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, there is a monument called The Maiden. Outside The Maiden is an organic memorial. Literally thousands upon thousands of flags and photographs of the fallen. We visited Ian’s makeshift memorial there. We also visited his church where he prayed and worshiped since he converted to the Ukrainian Church and there’s a picture of him along with the other hundreds of dead parishioners. Finally, we visited his memorial at the WW2 Museum. Not only did we honor Ian, we also attended the American funeral of a 22-year-old U.S National Guardsmen. 

The second reason I was there was to help the bleeding disorders community. We reached out to the Ukrainian Association for Haemophilia and Haemostasis and they introduced me to my fellow blood brothers and sisters. But that wasn’t all. Sochi and I brought along some factor medication to donate to the people of Ukraine. This was done through the amazing work of Save One Life.

Save One Life provided so much factor that, my carryon was nothing but factor and my toothbrush. Seriously. The factor was then distributed to three different families in three different regions of Ukraine. One such factor delivery was sent to a young man who was recovering from surgery. Had it not been for the generous donation from Save One Life, that young man may not have been here with us today. I have no words.

To clarify one thing, Save One Life has official partners around the world. Right now, Ukraine is not one of them because before the war, access to treatment and medication was largely available. However, as a consequence of the war, medication has become more scarce. 

Save One Life could have easily said, “Ukraine is not an official partner at this time. So we cannot help.” Totally acceptable and understandable. Instead, Save One Life did help and tremendously so. Save One Life literally helped change and better the financial situation of a nation under invasion for at least three months if not more. Think about that. Save One Life’s donation helped ease the massive burden of helping those with life threatening illnesses. Their donation helped defray medical costs across an entire nation’s medical system. Their donation helped Ukrainian medical staff focus more attention on the wounded.

In short, Save One Life has saved several lives and helped ease the burden of those under attack in Ukraine, all because people donated their unneeded medication to them. They didn’t just help, they helped change the world into a better place. 

I close by saying thank-you to Save One Life, but that feels terribly inadequate. There just aren’t enough words in the English language to truly explain the Earth shaking good work that Save One Life does for the bleeding disorders community. The impact was clear on our blood brothers and sisters trying to navigate during these challenging times.

As part of our Ambassador spotlight series, we are proud to introduce Tamarrow—an inspiring member of the Save One Life Ambassador team whose life with hemophilia has shaped a powerful commitment to service, advocacy, and global connection.

Living with hemophilia alongside his three younger brothers, Tamar grew up knowing both the importance of treatment and the reality that bleeds can happen at any time. While he was taught to be cautious, he also learned something equally powerful — not to let limitations define his world.

Determined to broaden his horizons, he joined an international organization dedicated to improving sustainable agriculture. His work took him to St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Zambia, where he partnered with local farmers to strengthen their communities. His commitment to service did not go unnoticed. In 2025, the Hemophilia Federation of America honored him with the Michael Davon Community Service Award for his extraordinary efforts.

Although grateful for the award, Tamarrow says the experience itself was what truly changed him. During his time abroad, he witnessed firsthand the hardships faced by individuals living with medical conditions without reliable access to care. Seeing the stark contrast in accessibility to effective treatment strengthened his resolve to serve others and led him to say “yes” when asked to become an Ambassador for Save One Life. He could not stop thinking about children with bleeding disorders who grow up without the treatment and support he was fortunate to receive. His commitment remains personal. Tamarrow continues to stay in touch with the children he met in Zambia.

He recently wrote and recorded a song called I Am Enough and was pleased to hear that it will be played at the school’s graduation in Zambia this year. For Tamarrow, music has always been a form of self-expression and healing, and believes deeply in its ability to uplift and inspire others. To hear his songs, follow Tamarrow on Spotify.

We are thrilled to have this accomplished young man on the Save One Life team!

During a recent visit to Pakistan, Save One Life Ambassador Aamina spent time with beneficiaries and families at the Hemophilia Welfare Society of Lahore. Her reflections offer a personal look at the resilience, determination, and hope found within this community, as well as the impact of our ongoing partnership. Below, Aamina shares highlights from her experience and the stories that stayed with her.

“During my recent visit to the Hemophilia Welfare Society of Lahore, I had the privilege of representing Save One Life and meeting several beneficiaries. The event was filled with hope and resilience as families and individuals came together to share their stories and celebrate the support they have received.

I met a young girl, a Save One Life beneficiary, who has overcome tremendous challenges related to her blood disorder. Despite these obstacles, she earned a distinguished position in her school district. Inspired by her own hematologist, she now dreams of becoming a doctor so that she can care for others like herself.
Another moving story involved a family facing immense hardship as the father battles brain cancer while struggling financially. A Save One Life education grant has become a hope for them, ensuring their child can stay in school and work toward a promising future.

These stories are a powerful reminder of the dedication and compassion of the Hemophilia Welfare Society of Lahore. Their ongoing work provides patients not only with medical care but also with education, empowerment, and a sense of community. It was truly inspiring to witness firsthand the profound impact they continue to make through the partnership and support of Save One Life”