Conversations and Insights with Dr. Michele Couri

Living with a rare disease is difficult. Patients have less information, fewer resources and typically more obstacles to overcome, as needs are unmet with fewer therapies, medical options & advancements; research is under funded and cures unavailable. MPN Peoria was started to help fight against MPNs, myeloproliferative neoplasms, which are types of rare blood cancers. When Dr. Michele Couri was diagnosed with one of these rare blood cancers 9 years ago, she remained fairly private about her disease and its burdens, never wanting her own disease to take away the focus of her commitment and dedication of helping and healing others, as well as being a wife and the mother of six young kids. In the past 9 years she has watched too many lose this battle, including those that have mentored and helped her navigate through her own diagnosis and illness. Her heart heard the calling to fight the battle not for herself but for those that have lost, those fighting and those who have yet to know they have this battle to face so on Rare Disease Day 2/28/19 she launched her 501(c)3 nonprofit MPN Peoria. The goal of MPN Peoria is to be able to help raise awareness and much needed funding for research for new treatments, therapies, patient support and ultimately a cure. Our first major fund raising effort, MPN Peoria Hike will be held June 22, 2019 at Forest Park Nature Center. You can find out more at www.MPNPeoria.org @mpnpeoria

Yvonne Greer of WTVP sits down with Dr. Michele Couri for a very personal and candid conversation about her diagnosis, her family, her demanding career and practice on the latest episode of Consider This.

The passion...the commitment! How and why MPN Peoria came to be.