At UCB, we go beyond just treating a person or their symptoms, it’s about seeing the person as a whole – from their emotional to physical well-being – and finding solutions that improve their care and overall quality of life. Read more from our VP of U.S. Corporate Affairs, Patty Fritz, about why she puts patients are at the heart of everything she does.

'As a young girl, I was in awe of my grandmother, who was a nurse. Listening to her tell stories of taking care of people inspired me to become a nurse, and I went on to work in the emergency room and intensive care unit for nearly two years.

In my time as a nurse, I realized that patients didn’t just want to be seen as their condition. They wanted information and an active role in their care. I also recognized that we still had gaps in treatments and new solutions were desperately needed. With this insight, I found my passion in innovating new medicines and shifted to a career that could help me deliver value to patients, including differentiated medicines, a caring experience and improved access to solutions for their diseases.  

Once I came to UCB, I heard a mother share her child’s epilepsy journey. Hearing about her daughter’s first seizure and the years of searching for treatments shifted my perspective from a more clinical view to a very personal, human experience - the impact on the child, the family, and all that goes along with living with and caring for those with a chronic, severe disease, like epilepsy. I also heard how a UCB therapy was a life changer for that child and the family. The impact of innovation is not just treating a condition – it changes lives. This encounter further activated my purpose and passion that drives me at a level in a way I could not have imagined. Hearing the child’s mother speak was a gift that has kept me running at more than 100 percent every day since.

At UCB, we go beyond just treating a person or their symptoms, it’s about seeing the person as a whole – from their emotional to physical well-being – and finding solutions that improve their care and overall quality of life.'

Read the article on LinkedIn.


About the Author
Patty Fritz is Vice President, U.S. Corporate Affairs for UCB, overseeing public policy, government affairs, advocacy, communications and public affairs, as well as UCB’s office and strategic priorities in Washington, D.C. Patty leads efforts to create value for patients and their families through strategic engagement and positively influencing the healthcare environment and policy landscape.