Published June 2, 2021 / All Stories
A common denominator
Brett Dabruzzo’s first migraine hit when she was in high school. Pounding headaches and overwhelming nausea weren’t diagnosed as migraine until almost a decade later when Dabruzzo, Pharm.D., director, medical affairs, AbbVie, began working for a pharmaceutical company in its neurology department. A week into her job as a medical science liaison in Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy and migraine, she recognized the signs of migraine and sought help, receiving a diagnosis for the neurological disease shortly after.
Dabruzzo says she tries not to let migraine stop her – but there are times where she can’t fight it off. Missed kids’ hockey games and date nights often add up to disappointment and guilt.
“I feel like I would be a better mom if I didn't have migraine,” Dabruzzo says. “I feel like I would be a better wife if I didn't have migraine.”
Like Dabruzzo, Michael Gold, M.D., vice president, neuroscience development, AbbVie, is familiar with migraine. But while he doesn’t face migraine himself, Gold watches his wife and adult children battle debilitating attacks.