Brave Butterfly: A Hypoparathyroidism Journey
— Bari Vapnek

Bari Gordon Vapnek was born in New York and relocated to Florida in 1995 after graduating from the University of Delaware with a BS in Business Administration. Hired as a director of new business development, she married in 1997 and, a year later, was diagnosed with the rare disease, hypoparathyroidism. Unaware of the implications of diagnosis, she persevered through challenging days, relying on a daily intake of calcium, her lifeline.

Having to leave her career, she became a mom, managing hypoparathyroidism and feeling isolated. In 2019 she discovered the Hypoparathyroidism Association. She became actively involved and assumed a position as a board member. Bari has written and spoken publicly about her journey. She believes her column can help those who feel isolated in their diagnosis.