JANUARY 2015

PREECLAMPSIA FOUNDATION NEWS

Website's fresh look is more than a pretty face

Click image to view our new and improved site!

The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia website (promisewalk.org) is kicking off the 2015 season with a new look and improved functionality for participants and volunteers. Participants can now upload a gallery of photos to their customizable pages, set profile pictures, and see where they stand in the Top 5 Individual and Team leaderboards on site pages in real-time. Each participant still has a unique URL to his or her individual and team fundraising pages, but now you have the ability to set what that URL will be!

Participants can easily find a walk in their local community and register directly from their mobile devices. So check it out and start your team today, because together, we are "Making Strides and Delivering Hope." Not a walk near you? Participate in our Virtual Walk!

Is a doula right for you-la?

Guest blog by Jake McKenna Ibarra and Ariela Simerman of Doula Spot

From the onset of symptoms to the complications that may arise during labor and delivery, preeclampsia looms overhead, threatening to disturb the precious and miraculous endeavor of becoming a mother. The personal support system and professional expertise provided by a doula can make all the difference in the world in managing preeclampsia, delivering a healthy baby, and promoting mental and emotional health afterward.

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Thanks to you, new discharge instructions will save lives

Our sincere appreciation goes to our supporters who contributed more than $23,450 during our annual giving campaign! These dollars will be used to fund research to develop and test an effective discharge tool for new mothers to include preeclampsia information. With your help, we can ensure new mothers are educated that preeclampsia can strike even after delivery, when it's least expected and most deadly, and that it's a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Parents honor their strong-willed warrior

Jadon Flores - an avid beer enthusiast and server at Karl Strauss Brewing Company in Temecula, CA - has put his passion into a unique fundraiser for the Preeclampsia Foundation as a lasting tribute to his son. Born to Jadon and his wife Nicole on August 21, 2014, baby Liam Alexander Flores died a week later due to complications of his premature birth caused by preeclampsia.

In its original Irish form, Liam means "strong-willed warrior." The Flores saw their son living up to that name, and they wanted to create something lasting as a testament to his son's existence. The result? A craft brew that would stand the test of time.

On August 21, every year for the next 21 years, Jadon plans to open a bottle of the new beer - named "Strong Willed Warrior Imperial Stout" - in homage to Liam's memory and a father's dream to one day share a beer with his son. Jadon's employer, Karl Strauss Brewing Company, approved a "tank-tap" batch of the brew to share Liam's memory with others. A portion of the proceeds are being donated to the Foundation for research in finding ways to help others in memory of Liam.

Thank you, Jadon and Nicole, for thinking of others as you toast your strong-willed warrior.

Volunteer of the Year serves 10 years and counting

Denise Lang, our 2014 Volunteer of the Year, is a two-time preeclampsia survivor who began volunteering with the Preeclampsia Foundation in 2004. She has held several volunteer roles within the Foundation over the last 10 years, as a forum moderator and the leader of the Wisconsin preeclampsia survivor group. Denise was instrumental in the 2010 process of re-branding the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia and launching promisewalk.org, helping the event grow to the national presence it has today. She also coordinates her own successful event in Wausau, WI, and serves as the 2015 Central Regional Promise Walk Coach, motivating and supporting dozens of volunteers in her region.

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Raise awareness with tote bags now on sale!

Want a great way to support preeclampsia awareness AND haul all your stuff at the same time?

Keep your gear stylishly stored in this navy blue Promise Walk drawstring backpack! String shoulder straps on the backpack loop for a quick close top. Tote is polyester and measures 15" W X 18" H.

Available for only $5 each. Get one today and share the awareness via our Marketplace!

5 medical experts join the fight!

As we ring in the New Year, we'd like to thank our Medical Advisory Board members, past and present, and welcome these new members to this distinguished group of medical professionals who guide our efforts as a national patient advocacy organization:

Cindy Anderson, PhD: Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Educational Innovation at The Ohio State University College of Nursing.
Ira M. Bernstein, MD: John Van Sicklen Maeck Professor and Chair of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Medical Director of Women's Services at Fletcher Allen Health Care.
Arun Jeyabalan, MD, MS: Associate Professor in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at Magee-Women's Hospital, University of Pittsburgh.
Michael J. Paidas, MD: Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine; Interim Chief, Section of Maternal-Fetal Medicine; Interim Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship; and Interim Chief, Obstetrical Service, Yale-New Haven Hospital.
Doug Woelkers, MD: Associate Clinical Professor in the Division of Perinatal Medicine at University of California, San Diego, and treats high-risk women at several hospitals and clinics in the area.

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P.S. Thanks for keeping in touch with our Foundation! Our patient education and research funding could not happen without you. If you like this content and want to get more out to families like yours, please make a gift at preeclampsia.org/donate.