Crossing Into the Orange Curtain for Awareness

2011 OC Promise Walk at Bill Barber Park

Stepping into the role of Orange County Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Coordinator this year is Jennifer Carney.  Jennifer is no stranger to the Preeclampsia Foundation and has volunteered in a variety of roles from assistance on the Communications team to helping to review Pregnancy books for their inclusion and discussion of preeclampsia.

Like many involved with the Foundation, Jennifer herself is a survivor.  She suffered eclampsia and HELLP syndrome and found herself looking for answers.  She has supported the March of Dimes as well as the HELLP Syndrome Society which was later folded into the Preeclampsia Foundation.  At that point, Jennifer decided it was time to really get involved.

Looking to build on past years in Orange County, the walk will be at the same location at Bill Barber Park in Irvine as last year.  Jennifer also plans to include an expert panel discussion at the conclusion of the walk as was held last year.

She points out that the Orange County walk is really a regional walk with registrants coming from LA and Orange Counties as well as the Inland Empire.  It’s also a different weekend than the San Diego walk, so Southern Cal residents can feel free to support both walks!

Registration for the Orange County Promise Walk on May 18^th is now open.  You can register at www.promisewalk.org/orangecounty.

Turning Passion Into Action

In 2007, still reeling from the loss at 24 weeks of her twin daughters, Bridget and Elsie, Meredith Drews refused to sit at home recuperating and in her mind, doing nothing. Searching the internet furiously, she found the Preeclampsia Foundation and through it, a way to give back by first getting involved with the San Diego walk, and soon hosting her own.

In her third year coordinating the Orange County Promise Walk, not a day goes by that Meredith does not think of the reasons that she hosts the walk each year.

“I know we were lucky and had great medical care so that I survived, but we will always miss our baby girls,” Meredith commented. “It was so much work that first year, but at the end, people knew more about preeclampsia and about my little girls who only lived an hour; and it all happened because of the work I had done with my family and friends.”

The Orange County Walk is truly a family affair, including an auction run by Drews’ sister and co-coordinator Sara Tisdell and lots of family-friendly activities for the Orange County community. This year, that community has grown to include attendance by Assemblyman Allan Mansoor, Irvine Mayor Sukhee Kang and Irvine City Councilmember Dr. Steven Choi. Assemblyman Mansoor will present a certificate of recognition and Mayor Kang will present the proclamation declaring May Preeclampsia Awareness Month. The program will also include a presentation by the Orange County mission family of Tricia Carlton who will be speaking about her sister Kathleen who died from the results of preeclampsia.  Tricia found out about our walk last year and came after seeing a flyer, then realizing that the walk was the same day as her sister’s birthday.

The Orange County goal is to raise $30,000 and have 200 people registered at their new location in Bill Barber Park in Irvine, Calif. To learn more about the Orange County walk, register at http://www.promisewalk.org/orangecounty.