Tuesday, June 01, 2021

Ottawa's fourth (virtual) Promise Walk for Preeclampsia

This is to let you know that I'm helping my dear wife, Christine McNair, fundraise as part of this year's Ottawa Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, so childbirth doesn't have to be life-threatening, as it was for her, with both of our wee monsters. Within a day or three of the births of each of our two children, Christine had to be admitted to hospital with blood pressure high enough that it was considered life-threatening. She spent three nights in hospital after Rose was born, the first two without being able to keep Rose with her. With Aoife, the doctors had kept a closer eye on her blood pressure, as the fact that she'd had this happen once suggested it was possible that it could happen a second time. It did, but it wasn't as dire, as it was caught far sooner.

Christine being that rare five percent of five percent that are struck by this after the birth of their child. Whereas my first wife did have the same prior to Kate's birth, but once Kate was born, everything returned to normal. This seems an affliction that is regularly misunderstood and not always caught. And part of the goal of this fundraising walk is to inform: neither our midwife nor Christine's doctors knew at the time that there were numerous resources for information on preeclampsia, which was enormously frustrating to discover after the fact (and if we were doing the walk in person this year, there would be information booths involving numerous organizations, which hopefully we can get back to again; next year?).

We've been told, basically, that for her to have a third child would certainly mean it would happen a third time (which we don't consider worth risking), and that our two girls run a far higher risk of going through the same, if they ever decide to have children of their own. If you are able and/or willing to donate anything to this campaign, it would be very much appreciated.
 
https://canadahelps.org/en/charities/preeclampsia-foundation-canada/p2p/promisewalk2021/team/christines-awesome-family-and-friends-of-awesomeness/member/rob-mclennan/

The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia™ is the single most important fundraising initiative for Preeclampsia Foundation Canada that supports our mission to reduce maternal and infant illness and death due to preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy through patient education, public awareness and research. These walks are more than a fundraiser; they are events that bring together a community of people who have been affected by these disorders, to make connections, and to demonstrate the support of donors, sponsors, local media, community partners, and corporate sponsors, so those affected know they are not alone. It is also a place to honour those we have lost and to make a real stride towards ending preeclampsia!

Please help us reach our fundraising goal as we participate in The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Canada in 2021! Thank you in advance for your generous donation!

See also: the press release for the first Ottawa walk, as organized by Christine; my report on that first walk; the press release for the third walk,


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