Rex Herald

As a chef and an artist, Rex has found ways to express creativity and pursue his passions while managing his severe hemophilia A.

Rex Herald

As a chef and an artist, Rex has found ways to express creativity and pursue his passions while managing his severe hemophilia A.

Watch Rex's story

Every speaker has a unique perspective and life experience to share. Hear Rex Herald share his story and why KOVALTRY® is right for him.

Rex Herald

Rex knew it might be difficult for him to play certain sports growing up, so he channeled his energy into art and fell in love with drawing. Unexpectedly, his creative pursuits led him to the world of cooking.

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Meet Rex

An icon of a heart with three people inside.

How has your family supported you as you’ve navigated living with hemophilia A?

“Before I was born, my older brother Brett was diagnosed with hemophilia A. My mom is a carrier, but my parents didn’t know anyone else in the family who had hemophilia when my brother was diagnosed. My mom took matters into her own hands and focused on making sure that she and my dad were educated on the condition so that they could best support my brother and me. My brother Brett was also an important mentor for me. I knew I could go to Brett for any advice, whether it was about hemophilia or just life in general.”

What advice would you give your younger self today?

“When I was volunteering as a camp counselor, I noticed how daunting it was for kids as they start to get older and learn more about managing their hemophilia. I learned how to self-infuse at camp, and I left with a newfound independence and understanding of how to manage my hemophilia. If I were speaking to my younger self, I'd say take a deep breath and just go for it. Taking a moment for yourself and gaining independence are the most important things we can do.”

What have you learned about managing your treatment needs?

“I started treatment with KOVALTRY when I had just turned 19, and it was the first time that I played a big role in my own treatment decisions. I felt like I’d independently built my treatment plan, with my doctor of course. I was committed to advocating for myself and getting all of my questions answered.”

" Having an outlet like art where I could really shine without putting my safety at risk helped me develop a more positive mindset about my hemophilia A."

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, sitting on a bench in a park with a book.

Discovering an outlet

Growing up, Rex spent a lot of his free time with art. He reflects on grade school: “It felt like a lot of other kids were on sports teams, like football. Having an outlet like art where I could really shine without putting my safety at risk helped me develop a more positive mindset about my hemophilia A.”

Rex first started drawing at a young age and still prioritizes art in his spare time today. Rex usually sticks to black and white art, using mediums such as graphite on paper, and ink. He loves to think about different compositions and ways of putting things together, describing his art as “stylized realism.”

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, in a restaurant kitchen cooking

From creative arts to culinary arts

A creator at heart, Rex eventually discovered that he could pull his creativity into a new avenue: cooking. Rex’s culinary adventures began in college when he decided to learn how to cook for himself and discovered how much can be done in the kitchen. His curiosity grew, which eventually led him to his first job in the restaurant industry.

“I’ve always had an artistic side,” Rex says. “And working in a kitchen gave me opportunities to be more creative than I thought, like sharing suggestions and ideas for the menu.”

Finding the right treatment with KOVALTRY

Rex has been on prophylaxis his entire life, but he used different FVIII products before transitioning to KOVALTRY. At one point, Rex was experiencing breakthrough bleeds and worked with his doctor to find an alternative treatment option. At the time, Rex’s brother Brett was using KOVALTRY and having good experiences with it, so Rex spoke with his doctor about KOVALTRY to find out if it could be right for him.

When Rex started treatment with KOVALTRY, he asked his doctor and Bayer Rep plenty of questions. “I learned that KOVALTRY is an unmodified factor product, which was a very important factor in my decision,” Rex says. His Bayer Rep explained the study data and provided information about the insurance support options available through Access Services by Bayer.

Today, Rex infuses three times a week and finds that this dosing schedule works well for him. "With KOVALTRY, I can be on my feet in the kitchen and know that I'm getting high factor levels when I need them the most throughout the week," he says.

KOVALTRY works for Rex, but your needs are unique. Speak with your doctor to find out if KOVALTRY could be right for you.

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, taking a selfie in front of wrestling ring with another person

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, in a group with other kids smiling in winter clothes.

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, with his mom and brother at an event with medals around their necks.

Hemophilia A patient, Rex Herald, as a baby wearing a blue rugby helmet.

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INDICATION FOR KOVALTRY®

KOVALTRY® is a medicine used to replace clotting factor (Factor VIII or antihemophilic factor) that is missing in people with hemophilia A.

KOVALTRY is used to treat and control bleeding in adults and children with hemophilia A. KOVALTRY can reduce the number of bleeding episodes in adults and children with hemophilia A when used regularly (prophylaxis). Your healthcare provider may give you KOVALTRY when you have surgery.

KOVALTRY is not used to treat von Willebrand Disease.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

You should not use KOVALTRY if you are allergic to rodents (like mice and hamsters) or any ingredients in KOVALTRY.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have heart disease or are at risk for heart disease.

The common side effects of KOVALTRY are fever, headache, and rash, in addition to inhibitors in patients who were not previously treated or minimally treated with Factor VIII products.

Your body may make antibodies, called “inhibitors” against KOVALTRY, which may stop KOVALTRY from working properly. If your bleeding is not adequately controlled, it could be due to the development of Factor VIII inhibitors. Consult with your healthcare provider to make sure you are carefully monitored with blood tests for the development of inhibitors to Factor VIII.

Allergic reactions may occur with KOVALTRY. Call your healthcare provider right away and stop treatment if you get tightness of the chest or throat, dizziness, decrease in blood pressure, and nausea.

Tell your healthcare provider about any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your healthcare provider right away if bleeding is not controlled after using KOVALTRY.

For additional important risk and use information, please see full Prescribing Information.