Hazel Meltzer-Cohen has lived her entire life knowing something most people never have to think about: in a medical emergency, being treated correctly is not guaranteed.
Hazel has Factor XI deficiency—a rare bleeding disorder that isn’t always recognized, even in clinical settings. It’s not something you can see. And in the moments that matter most, it’s not something you can assume others will understand.
That reality became clear early in her life.
When Hazel was just 10 years old, she cut her arm while helping at home. The bleeding wouldn’t stop. At the time, no one fully understood why. Her mother had experienced similar issues, but had never been diagnosed.
Years later, when Hazel gave birth to her son in 1963, that uncertainty became something far more serious.
Following an episiotomy, Hazel began to hemorrhage. The bleeding wouldn’t stop. She was placed in a hospital ward without air conditioning, and as her condition worsened, the combination of blood loss and extreme heat left her too ill to advocate for herself.
She didn’t even hold her son for the first eight days of his life.
It was a nurse who recognized that something wasn’t right. Hazel was moved, her condition stabilized, and the bleeding was eventually brought under control.
But the experience made something clear: when a condition isn’t understood, the care you receive can be wrong. In 1974, Hazel became a MedicAlert subscriber.
“It was never a stigma,” she says. “It was peace of mind.”
That decision has stayed with her for more than 50 years.
Today, Hazel often wears two bracelets—the original 10K gold bracelet she received from her father when she first became a subscriber, and another she wears every day. Not out of habit, but out of certainty.
“MedicAlert makes sure I am treated correctly,” she says. “That’s been proven time and time again.”
Even in routine moments, that clarity matters.
During a recent MRI appointment, a technologist questioned why Hazel was wearing jewelry. Hazel simply asked them to take a closer look. Once they saw it was a MedicAlert ID, the conversation changed immediately.
It’s a small moment—but one that reflects a much larger truth.
MedicAlert doesn’t just provide information. It ensures that critical health details are understood, recognized, and acted on—especially when someone can’t speak for themselves.
Even today, at 84, Hazel continues to receive specialized care—another reminder of how important it is that her condition is clearly understood.
For Hazel, that has made all the difference.
It’s also why Hazel and her husband, Abraham, have chosen to give back.
They’ve seen firsthand what it means to have the right information available at the right time—and what can happen when it isn’t. Their support helps ensure that others have access to the same protection Hazel has relied on for decades.
“Not everyone has that,” Hazel says. “And they should.”
For 65 years, MedicAlert has been there in those moments—bridging the gap between what’s known and what needs to be known.
Because in healthcare, being seen isn’t enough.
You have to be understood.
Are you an individual with a chronic medical condition? Learn more about how MedicAlert can provide peace of mind, protection, and support at medicalert.ca/signup or call 1-800-668-1507 today.
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