hypothalamic obesity

Dr. Eugenie Hsu is a clinical psychologist by profession and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children. In 2011 when her son was 8, he was diagnosed and treated for a craniopharyngioma brain tumor: Grateful for his survival but distressed by the many challenges he suffered in the aftermath of the tumor and surgery, Eugenie became focused upon finding solutions and treatments to improve his and other survivors' quality of life. [One particular condition, hypothalamic obesity, was especially daunting and she was compelled to figure out a treatment for this difficult-to-treat condition. In 2016, she conducted an experimental treatment on her son using the neurohormone, oxytocin; subsequently, she chronicled their experiences in a widely-read blog (Hope for HO) and the successful treatment resulted in her publishing a case report in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.] ​Last year, Eugenie joined the board of directors at the Raymond A. Wood Foundation, a patient advocacy organization for hypothalamic and pituitary brain tumor survivors. Eugenie lives by her belief that patient and caregiver advocates can advance science and innovations to improve patients' health and quality of life.