Mission at Work: Mike Hession

While looking for jobs after college, I came across an employment opportunity at Charles River. The description explained that the company supported research on diabetes, cancer and many other diseases. I chose to apply for the position because it was in the medical field and I knew the work I would be doing could potentially help a lot of people. I found the job in 1999 and have been with the company ever since.

A few years ago, I became sick at work. I felt too exhausted to continue and left work to go to the hospital. My doctor administered a few different tests and discovered that I had ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the large intestine or colon. There are many symptoms associated with this disease, such as pain, weight loss, infections in the abdomen, and internal bleeding; but the worst symptom for me was fatigue. At that time, it was so debilitating I wasn’t able to sleep for more than two hours at a time and it quickly reached a point where I was so exhausted I couldn’t even stay awake past 6pm.

Over the last twenty years or so, new medications have been developed that help resolve the agonizing symptoms of this disease. My doctor was able to prescribe me one of these medications and I can honestly say it changed my life dramatically. Most of my symptoms are now controlled and I’m able to be active in my daily life again. I can go to the gym, for example, without the limitations of my constant fatigue. Now that I’m feeling better, I’m making up for lost time and getting out and doing as much as I can.

I’m extremely proud to know that my work at Charles River contributes to the development of drugs like the one I take for my colitis. I go to work every day knowing that what we do is a key part of the process that has improved my life tremendously, as well as the lives of so many others.

-Mike Hession, Senior Supervisor, Wilmington, Massachusetts