Many of you know my love for exercise - especially running and, recently, spinning on my Peloton bike. Last summer I shared about my surgery to my hip to replace torn cartilage and remove congenital bone growths that tore the cartilage and caused imbalance and injury. But what I didn’t share publicly was that I had developed DVT and PE blood clots about three weeks after surgery. On my husband Helder’s 40th birthday, we went to the ER to learn that the DVT clots were bilateral, and one had gone into my lungs. Life-saving, clot-busting drugs were administered and I was able to walk out of the ER about 5 hours later, and able to make Helder’s birthday brunch with his parents. (you read that right!) I am now completely clear of the PE clots thanks to the advanced blood thinner medication I took for six months. I was lucky - I listened to my body and my clots were very small.

My friend Amy, a fellow PE survivor, was instrumental in helping me remain calm while in the ER and has been involved with Stop the Clot for many years. It was important to me that I give back as soon as I could. I’m joining her and hundreds of other survivors to raise money for Stop the Clot and represent this life-saving organization with our red polka-dot jerseys in the Marine Corps Marathon 10K this October. Please help me reach (and exceed!) my fundraising goal with whatever amount you can give. Thank you for your support!!