Proclaimed as Preeclampsia Awareness month by San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, May 2011 was a month dedicated to raising money for and awareness of the disease, preeclampsia, for the city of San Diego.
Promise Walk Volunteer and Biology Teacher Maureen Quessenberry finds that the impact of the disease touches very close to home. Quessenberry said, “My sister-in-law, and her baby, were affected with Preeclampsia during her pregnancy and she almost died. She suffered a seizure and had to deliver her baby two months early in order to survive. A miracle, both my sister-in-law and her baby are healthy and alive. However, this is not always the case.”
“Preeclampsia is a serious, and rather common, complication of pregnancy, dangerous to both the mother and her unborn baby. Knowing the warning signs can lead to more timely diagnosis and better outcomes,” according to the Promise Walk website (promisewalk.org).
On May 18, hundreds of advocates for the Preeclampsia Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to reducing maternal and infant illness and death due to preeclampsia, flocked to Crown Point Shores to participate in the annual Promise Walk for Preeclampsia.
According to the Quad Cities website, an online publication, “The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, with the tagline ‘Making Strides, Delivering Hope,’ makes a clear connection with the mission of the Preeclampsia Foundation – a commitment to better outcomes for those whose lives have been or will be touched by preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. That ‘promise’ includes finding a cure, supporting families, and ensuring education and awareness for all pregnant women” (qconline.com).
Quessenberry’s sister-in-Law and now National Promise Walk Director Becky Sloan said, “Last year’s Promise Walk was an overwhelming success as we doubled our revenue, walked in more cities and reached more people. We are very excited to continue this momentum in 2011, since we know that greater awareness and knowledge will result in healthier birth outcomes. We take great pride in our staff and our volunteers for this bold undertaking.”
Quessenberry helps run the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia by helping out with registration, the silent auction, and spreading the word about the disease even at our own school. “This year, our school had an e-waste collection from which all proceeds went to helping the Preeclampsia Foundation.”
Commissioner for the UC E-Waste Collection Senior Kalia Galvan said, “There are tons of old electronics our students don’t need and can put to good use. UC raised a lot of money for such a great cause.”
Quessenberry said, “I definitely hope more students at UC will participate in fighting for the cure to preeclampsia next year.”