Derm Dispatch: A Lifelong Journey with Eczema and the Power of Compassionate Care

This episode of Derm Dispatch with Renata Block, DMSc, MMS, PA-C, features Chava Wald, a passionate eczema advocate who shared her lifelong experience living with the condition and her journey toward becoming a voice for patients as we celebrate Eczema Awareness Month. Born and raised between Canada and the US, Wald reflected on how atopic dermatitis has shaped every aspect of her life—from childhood to adulthood—and how she has turned personal hardship into purposeful advocacy.

Wald explained that she was diagnosed with eczema as a baby and never knew life without it. As a child, she learned to adapt to her limitations without letting them define her, often avoiding outdoor or water-based activities but never allowing her condition to dictate her identity. Her parents worked to make her feel included, though she faced physical pain and sleep deprivation due to severe flares that affected her joints and skin. She recalls walking sideways up stairs because her knees couldn’t bend and enduring frequent dermatology visits that, at the time, offered few treatment options beyond topical steroids.

Throughout her life, Wald’s experiences with healthcare professionals have varied widely. She described a supportive pediatric dermatologist who genuinely cared but lacked effective therapies at the time. In contrast, she recounted a painful encounter with a later dermatologist who made a humiliating comment about her appearance in front of trainees, prompting her to leave his care. These experiences, she explains, highlight the critical importance of empathy and trust in clinician–patient relationships.

Now under the care of a compassionate dermatologist, Wald has finally found effective treatment through newer biologic and JAK inhibitor therapies. She emphasizes how her current doctor’s patience, communication, and belief in her potential for clearer skin transformed her confidence and outcomes.

Wald encourages clinicians to communicate collaboratively; educating patients, planting informational “seeds,” and ensuring they feel heard rather than dismissed. She also urges patients to become “derm detectives,” taking ownership of their care between visits by tracking symptoms, lifestyle factors, and trusted educational resources.

Today, Wald channels her journey into advocacy—speaking at conferences, educating others, and empowering both patients and clinicians to build mutual understanding. This episode emphasizes her story of resilience, empathy, and the transformative power of compassionate communication in chronic atopic dermatitis care.