Almost 12 years ago, I sat frightened in a doctor's office not knowing what was going on. I had none of the typical signs of preeclampsia, thankfully I had a scheduled appointment that day. Within minutes of having my vitals checked, I was sent over to the hospital to see if my blood pressure would return to normal. It never did. By the next morning, via emergency c-section my sweet boy was born 4.5 weeks early. Thankfully, he was healthy and strong. My preeclampsia was stubborn and refused to go away despite the multiple medications I was on. It took a few months for my body to get back to a non-hypertensive state. 

I'm so grateful to be here to share my story, and it is my charge to advocate for and engage in research about maternal health disparities, including preeclampsia to help reduce and ultimately eliminate them. I hope you will join me in the fight!