Bloomstein Turns Tragedy into Action

Bloomstein Turns Tragedy into Action to Raise Awareness of Preeclampsia Central/Northern New Jersey Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Guest Speaker to Help Call Attention to Serious Pregnancy Disorder Affecting Mothers, Babies

The Preeclampsia Foundation is pleased to announce that Larry Bloomstein will serve as guest speaker at the Central/Northern New Jersey Promise Walk for Preeclampsia™. Bloomstein lost his wife Lauren just hours after the delivery of their first daughter Hailey due to HELLP syndrome, a severe variant of preeclampsia. He shared his family’s story as the New Jersey Promise Walk for PreeclampsiaMission Family in 2013 and has since become a strong advocate for the Preeclampsia Foundation and maternal health.
Larry, a physician, and Lauren, a registered nurse, were terrified following the delivery as Lauren experienced severe pain andcritically high blood pressure. Lauren developed HELLP syndrome, a late sequela of untreated preeclampsia, and suffered a fatal stroke. Her death, like most maternal deaths, was preventable. Learning from this experience, Larry advocates to raise awareness, educate, collaborate, and implement protocols to ensure safe pregnancies for women and their families.
As a champion for maternal health, Larry was recently featured on a panel for a Congressional briefing on maternal mortality legislation supported by the Preeclampsia Foundation. His family’s story was also featured in national coverage by ProPublica and NPR.

“Like many other preeclampsia survivors and families, Larry has turned his tragedy into positive progress for maternal health,” said Eleni Tsigas, Chief Executive Officer of the Preeclampsia Foundation. “He and other advocates are critical to our efforts to help save the lives of mothers and their babies, and to keep families together.”
The Preeclampsia Foundation is the only national nonprofit patient advocacy organization for the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Through its national fundraising event, Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, the Preeclampsia Foundation works to achieve its mission to provide patient support and education, raise public awareness, catalyze research, and improve healthcare practices.
Through the Preeclampsia Foundation’s educational programs, expectant and new moms and families are able to learn about preeclampsia, and network with a community of preeclampsia survivors. Provider education is also a key component of the organization’s efforts.
Bloomstein will speak at the Central/Northern New Jersey Promise Walk for Preeclampsia on Sunday, May 20, at Oak Ridge Park in Clark, New Jersey. The 8th Annual NJ Promise Walk is organized again this year by mother-daughter walk chair team, Stephanie and Marissa Steiner, both preeclampsia survivors. This event attracts participants from throughout Central and Northern New Jersey, and is sponsored locally by New Jersey Perinatal Associates, and nationally by BabyCenter and GestVision.
To register, visit www.preeclampsia.org/newjersey
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About Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period, and affects both the mother and the fetus. It is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by elevated blood pressure and usually protein in the urine; other symptoms may include swelling in the hands and face, headaches, and visual disturbances. Preeclampsia affects the mother's kidneys, liver, and other vital organs and, if undetected or untreated, can lead to seizures (eclampsia), cerebral hemorrhage, failure in vital organs, and death. The cause of preeclampsia is still not fully understood, and the only cure for the condition begins with delivery. Approximately five percent to eight percent of pregnancies are affected by preeclampsia, which, in the United States, translates to approximately 300,000 pregnancies. It is a leading cause of preterm birth and responsible for approximately 76,000 maternal deaths and half a million infant deaths worldwide annually. There are several types of preeclampsia, including HELLP syndrome, a particularly dangerous variant.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation: The Preeclampsia Foundation is the only national nonprofit patient advocacy organization for the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Through its national fundraising event, the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia™, the Preeclampsia Foundation works to achieve its mission to provide patient support and education, raise public awareness, catalyze research, and improve healthcare practices, envisioning a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org.