Strong commitment for the two brothers from Estonia

03/01/2019
Patient stories
Camilla Haag, Stockholm, Sweden

“Imagine the impact that we all have together. I say this to myself every single day and feel proud that what we do helps others so much. Together we give our patients the opportunity to experience everything that we too often take for granted. We save people’s lives,” says Camilla Haag, a 25-year-old process operator at the human normal immunoglobulin manufacturing site in Stockholm.

Camilla works night shifts and enjoys horse riding in her spare time. “Being with my horse puts me in contact with the simplest of qualities, such as grace, beauty and freedom,” Camilla says, smiling at the thought.

Kristopher and Robin, Toila, Estonia

Kristopher, Robin and their older sister, Mariliis, are siblings living in Estonia. As babies, the two brothers were diagnosed with the rare immune disease X-linked agammaglobulinaemia (XLA), which means a complete lack of the antibodies needed to defend their bodies against infections.

But despite their illness they can handle everything in life and are an inspiration, as Mariliis describes.

“Kristopher and Robin make me a better person. When I get annoyed over the smallest things, Robin just says, “Pole vaja kuri!” (“There’s no need to be angry”). That’s his motto! And I gain courage from Kristopher’s eyes.

He seems the quiet one, but he shows me that you don’t need to be extrovert to be confident,” says the 25-year-old. Thanks to Octapharma’s human normal immunoglobulin, the “boys” are now young men of 18 and 16. Without their medication, the brothers wouldn’t be with Mariliis and their family. “Though life seems to have played its cards the way it has, my brothers are the most unique people. I’m lucky to share my life with them.”

Keywords

Immunology

Engaging with patients

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