May marks the start of Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022. This year, I have planned a lot of different posts and collaborations to celebrate and honor all preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, and eclampsia survivors.
Not only is May Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022; it is also the same month that I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and gave birth to my daughter early 3 years ago. This month is a time of reflection for me. I ponder about where I was 3 years ago and where I am now. Who I was 3 years ago wouldn’t believe me if I told her that I write and talk about preeclampsia every single day. I have really come a long way from speaking nothing about my experience to publicly sharing my thoughts and feelings about it every single day with strangers on the internet.
To kick off this month, over on my Instagram page, I asked my followers and fellow survivors to submit a video to me of them saying their names and what they survived from (preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, eclampsia) so I could create a video to showcase that preeclampsia can happen to any woman during any pregnancy.
I wanted to put a face to this horrible disease that kills moms and babies every single day. I received over 50 videos from women all over the world! I was just hoping I would get a few to share, so I was so ecstatic that my email became full of videos so many times that I had to empty it to make room for incoming videos.
This video is the second video I have created for Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022. I did one in May 2021 that will also be shared in this post. I started off the video by me sharing that I was a preeclampsia survivor and why I created this video.
Following my words will begin with all the survivors who submitted a video to me sharing what they survived. This video is so powerful and really showcases how strong preeclampsia/HELLP Syndrome/eclampsia survivors are. I am grateful they all survived and were willing to share with me. I am so proud of this video and all that it’ll do this month.
I shared the video on my Facebook page, and my Instagram as well as posted it on YouTube. Over the course of this month, I am sharing posts talking about my story with preeclampsia as well as sharing statistics.
Table of Contents
Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 Video
Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2021 Video
Be sure to share the Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 video with your friends and family. It is such an impactful video and I am so honored that these women trusted me with their stories. Since May is Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022, I am so excited to spread more awareness of Preeclampsia, HELLP Syndrome, and eclampsia. As well as connecting with other survivors in the community.
What Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 Means to Me
As I mentioned at the beginning, this month means so much to me. Not just because I am a preeclampsia survivor myself. It means everything to me because it was in May 2019 that I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and gave birth to my daughter via emergency c-section because of it.
This year is also extra special for me because Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 is the first Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 that I am working on with my new position with the Preeclampsia Foundation. I absolutely love my job and what I do. I am working with such an incredible foundation that is really doing everything to spread awareness of preeclampsia and funding studies about preeclampsia and providing resources for survivors and their families.
Getting preeclampsia changed me and my life course. When you experience a life-threatening illness or experience it changes you. My life is more precious to me since I was so close to losing it. I have experienced severe depression and loneliness, due to the trauma I experienced. My marriage is more precious to me than it was before because I really felt the love of my husband for everything that he did for me. I couldn’t shower or dress myself for months because I was so weak from surgery and bed rest. It was then that I really learned how much he loved me.
I also learned who were the friends and family that really cared about me. That was an eye-opening experience for me (and also my husband). We both learned to who we were willing to give our time and effort to. As parents, experiencing a NICU stay and coming so close to losing our baby, we realized how precious she is and how grateful we are that she is here. It could have easily gone the other way and we wouldn’t be able to raise her. I’m not trying to say that we are perfect parents (far from it), but I definitely appreciate her and her growing up more than I would otherwise.
Without experiencing preeclampsia, I wouldn’t be able to meet and interact with as many women from all over the world. Being part of the preeclampsia community is something you never asked to be a part of and something never knew existed but you are so glad it does. This community is incredible and I have found strength in talking with other women who experienced similar things that I did. Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 brings together a strong community of women and I am so grateful to be a part of it.
It took me a few years to get to the point that I am okay with what happened. There are still moments that bring me down to my knees in tears and I would give ANYTHING to change things. Some days during Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 can be emotionally difficult, but I can see all the growth that occurred in me.
I can see that I empathize with others and their challenges much more. I can see that I can stand up for myself more. I don’t care as much about what others think or feel about me because I am just grateful to be alive and experiencing the world with my husband and daughter. I am a better person because I experienced preeclampsia.
And that is what Preeclampsia Awareness Month 2022 means to me.
Want to stay up to date with my latest interviews?
Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter. I am also on social media through Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.
If you are a preeclampsia survivor or HELLP syndrome survivor and would like to share your story, please contact me through email at courtney@knockonmotherhood.com. I would love to share your birth story and keep spreading awareness. I am trying to gather as many preeclampsia survivors’ birth stories as possible to spread awareness.
If you are a preemie mom, I would also love to share your story. Please contact me through email at courtney@knockonmotherhood.com.
Thank you so much for sharing this! I think the video was a great idea and so amazing to see so many survivors come together. As a survivor of preeclampsia myself, I know it is so important to share our stories. Thank you for sharing yours.
Thank you. It was a great project.
What a great idea to share stories of others, especially as it’s also Mental Health Awareness Month!
Thank you. I loved doing it.