Meet Sophie Huddart

(By Abhignya Devarakonda, Stop TB USA, Youth Leadership Board. Interview edited for length and clarity.)  

Sophie Huddart is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Institute for Global Health Sciences, interested in TB quality of care, especially how it influences the long-term outcomes of TB patients post-treatment.  She is also the executive director of Together Against TB, a 501c3 direct aid patient charity exclusive to people going through active treatment, supporting them with basic necessities including food and transportation through their TB Dignity Fund.  

What message about TB would you most like to share? 

We feel like TB was left in the Victorian era and isn’t that big of an issue. But even though the US is not a high burden country, we have TB here, and that was the impetus for founding Together Against TB:  there are people here in our communities, in our backyards, who are going through treatment, and a lot of them are struggling. We should act to end TB and support people going through TB everywhere.

What excites you about Stop TB USA? What are your hopes for the organization’s future?

I really appreciate the legislative savvy and the way that they have made themselves heard in the halls of power. I wanted to be a part of that. 

I also want to share the Together Against TB model. This is something that can exist anywhere where there are community members who want to support folks who are going through treatment. Whether they want to found a 501(3)c or even email their local TB clinic and see what people need. TB is a very isolating disease and even though I’m not the one there giving you your medication every day, as a TB researcher I care a lot about what you’re going through. 

We always want more eyes, more attention, more brain power, more anger, and more motivation. In today’s political landscape, we need to push ourselves to be louder: more ambitious, more rock ‘n’ roll. Other communities-- especially HIV/AIDS--have made it impossible to ignore what they’re asking for and that’s what I want to see for TB. This disease should not be killing people in 2025, and we have to start screaming until it’s true. 

Tell us something about your life outside of TB work.

I am a knitter. It’s soothing and repetitive and then you get socks or a sweater at the end. I started it when I was living in Montreal, where you need a good indoor hobby. 

You can find more about Together Against TB  on Instagram: @togetheragainsttb