Jordana McVey, Owner of Jordana Paige Designs and loving aunt to Cooper Landon Barnett
UPDATE: Due to tech errors on Wednesday, July 18 that delayed the “Purses for Preeclampsia” benefit sale, Jordana Paige has generously rescheduled the event for Thursday, July 26 at 8 am PST. For more information, visit http://jordanapaige.com/blog/category/preeclampsia. We look forward to another great day of awareness and fundraising! Thank you all for your continuing support!
Today we are doing an interview with Jordana McVey, of Jordana Paige, the handbag and knitwear design company. Jordana will be holding a very special fundraiser on her website, www.jordanapaige.com, starting at 8 am PST/11 am EST Wednesday, July 18 to benefit the Preeclampsia Foundation, in memory of her nephew Cooper.
First of all, would you tell us a little bit about your family’s experience with preeclampsia and what inspired your fundraising event?
On Thanksgiving day in 2010 my sister, Elizabeth and her husband, Tyler, announced she was pregnant with their first baby. The family jumped up and down and cried tears of joy.
At 23-weeks pregnant Elizabeth became very swollen. It was too early in her pregnancy to be swelling as she was. She didn’t feel well. Something was off. We took her blood pressure at home. The next day at her doctor’s appointment they alerted the doctor that her blood pressure was high. They checked it and her urine; 159/111 and protein in her urine. After being immediately rushed to the hospital her blood pressure had gone up to 170/110. Elizabeth had severe preeclampsia.
In denial at the time, I don’t think I could process how at risk my sister’s life was. At any moment she could have a seizure and go into a coma or die. Their baby, Cooper, had less than an 11% chance of surviving. They induced labor to stop the preeclampsia. When the nurse placed Cooper on Elizabeth’s chest the cry in the room did not come from Cooper, but was instead a mother’s wail at the loss of her child. The family held little Cooper, 11 oz and 11 inches long, kissed his nose that resembled his father’s and captured him in our memories. (Read more here of Elizabeth’s story and her involvement in the San Jose, Calif. Promise Walk)
It is in memory of Cooper that I am doing this fundraiser to raise both money for the Preeclampsia Foundation and awareness of this horrific disease.
How did you get started in creating purses? Tell us a little about the products that will be on sale for your Purses for Preeclampsia benefit.
I started my business, Jordana Paige, in 2002 while I was a freshman in college. Unsatisfied with the knitting bags available on the market, I set out to design a handbag that was stylish and function as an organized bag for carrying one’s knitting. From the beginning, my family has supported and encouraged me with my goals. My sister, Elizabeth, has modeled all my designs, both knitting bags and knitwear patterns. She’s become the recognizable face of Jordana Paige.
While Jordana Paige bags are designed with knitters in mind, they are loved by all types of women. All bags have myriad pockets for organizing daily purse items and are roomy, but not over-sized. Five styles in colors ranging from red to bronze to blue and every color in between will be available at Wednesday’s sale. You can find a complete list here.
What is Jordana Paige’s goal in raising money for the Preeclampsia Foundation?
Jordana Paige’s goal is to raise over $10,000 to benefit the Preeclampsia Foundation. I’m confident this goal can be met with your support of purchasing a bag and by spreading the word about the sale through Facebook, Twitter and your favorite social networking site.
If an individual wants to support the sale, what should they do?
The sale is this Wednesday, July 18th. Starting at 8am PST we’ll be releasing a different style and color bag at the top of the hour, every hour until all the bags are gone. All handbags have small imperfections that don’t meet our quality standards. They’re small imperfections like upside-down nameplates, minor flaws on the fabric or inner zipper pockets that have problems zipping properly. All bags will be sold for $50 each with 100% of that money being donated to the Preeclampsia Foundation. More details about the sale are available here.
Be sure to share this blog post, like the Purses for Preeclampsia Facebook page, and Tweet about @JordanaPaige to share details of the sale all day tomorrow.
The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Blog 