What the 49ers taught me about self-improvement and hope

My favorite time of the year kicks off tonight with the opening of the 106th regular season of the NFL, as the defending Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, host the Dallas Cowboys. I have to wait until Sunday to watch my team, the San Francisco 49ers, take the field in Seattle against their NFC rival, the Seahawks.

I’m excited and filled with anticipation for the next 18 weeks of regular-season play. I’ll be proudly wearing my 49ers hat, whether they win or lose. Watching the 49ers evolve as a team helps me shift my focus from hypoparathyroidism.

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Being a sports fan can boost self-esteem. Stephen Reysen, a professor of psychology at East Texas A&M University, explains that sports fans tend to identify so much with their teams that they feel like the team is actually part of them. “So when the team is winning, you feel like you are winning even though you are not a player,” Reysen told CNBC.

In a 2019 study from Ohio State University, researchers found that sports fans enjoyed a surge in self-esteem lasting at least two days after their team won. Remarkably, fans of the losing team didn’t experience a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Unfortunately, last season, dealing with both my hypopara and the 49ers was disheartening. The players and coaches remain optimistic, though, and are focused on bouncing back from a disappointing season marked by injuries, adversity, and events beyond their control. Because of my chronic condition, it’s easy for me to relate to these dynamics. In fact, I hope both the team and I have a winning season!

The power of telling my story

I recently had a Zoom call with an investor in the hypoparathyroidism biotech field who had read some of my columns and other things I’d written. He wanted to hear firsthand about my experiences in life with this rare disorder. I explained that I was recovering from a recent hospitalization and wasn’t really happy with how my health was doing.

He said he was glad I wasn’t sugarcoating things, because he was interested in the raw details of my life. So I told him my story. I took him on a journey starting with my diagnosis and continuing on to treatments and calcium crashes, and a clinical trial I participated in for what is now called Yorvipath (palopegteriparatide).

Bari Vapnek meets legendary 49ers quarterback Steve Young after the team’s opening game during the 1997 season in Tampa, Florida. (Courtesy of Bari Vapnek)

I told him about all of the obstacles I’d faced. He asked if I would participate in another clinical trial in the future. I said I would, but only if end-of-trial care is handled differently. (You can read about my difficulties with insurance, dosages, and other things in previous columns.)

As we were talking, I realized how powerful honest storytelling and connecting with others can be. By doing so, I had gained a friend and supporter.

Before we ended the call, he asked how a New Yorker living in Florida could become a 49ers fan. I explained that it was because I love how the owners treat the players. Former owner Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who won five Super Bowls, treated his players like family and left a lasting legacy.

I ended our chat by recommending that pharmaceutical companies take a page from DeBartolo’s playbook and go all in on providing long-term support to clinical trial participants. I think more work needs to be done in this area.

But instead of looking back at the past, I’m focused on the future, which started this week with a trip to New York City to meet with my doctor. We hope to devise a winning game plan for the management and treatment of my hypoparathyroidism.

I remain hopeful. So much has changed since my diagnosis, and I am grateful that people are listening. This brave butterfly will soar into a new season in search of victory. I strive to be like quarterback Steve Young, who always sought to be better today than he was yesterday. And those are words I can live by.

Note: Hypoparathyroidism News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Hypoparathyroidism News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to hypoparathyroidism.