Please Donate to Help Stop the Clot
Dear Friend,
My name is Justin Barch, and I’ve been a volunteer
board member of National Blood Clot Alliance
(NBCA) for almost four years. My entire family has been affected by
life-threatening blood clots and a clotting disorder. Our family history
with blood clots began when my brother, Mackie, at age 19, was diagnosed
with a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his leg. Soon after Mackie’s DVT,
tests confirmed that he had factor V Leiden, an inherited blood clotting
disorder. My dad and I both tested positive for the same blood
clotting disorder after Mackie learned about it.
A few years later, I was rushed to the Emergency Room (ER) with severe back pain and trouble breathing; symptoms of a lung clot known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). Tests revealed several life-threatening PEs in my left lung. After weeks of intense therapy, I was released from the hospital and put on lifelong blood thinners. As a parent, I am even more involved in the life saving mission of NBCA, because my two children could be positive for factor V Leiden.
I want to introduce Charissa Carnall, who has a
similar story. Charissa, a young married Zumba
instructor, stays in tune with her health. Earlier this year, Charissa
was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, and pleurisy.
Charissa suffered for weeks with symptoms where “everything hurt –
breathing, lying down, coughing, laughing, sneezing.”
She went to the ER, where she was given pain medication that provided no relief. After a week more of pain, she and her husband knew something wasn’t right and saw a pulmonologist. After several tests, it was shown that what was first thought to be pleurisy or a respiratory infection was actually a PE. Charissa said “I had a life-threatening lung clot for over 10 days before anyone diagnosed me correctly, and I could have died because I knew nothing about the signs and symptoms of blood clots.”
Charissa felt lucky to be alive after her PE was
detected and she was treated with blood thinners, but she was fearful of
another clot, especially after she tested positive for factor V Leiden.
She turned her fear into action; she researched blood clotting disorders and
felt empowered by the knowledge she found at www.stoptheclot.org. The web
site drew her into the NBCA family.
Charissa wants you to know how thankful she is to NBCA. She sat in her
kitchen and read the patient stories on their web site. At first she
cried, but then read about NBCA’s online learning for healthcare
professionals and education and awareness efforts for patients and the
public. Charissa realized that she could possibly prevent another person
from misdiagnosis
of a PE and possibly save a life.
Everyone benefits from knowing the risk factors and signs and symptoms of
blood clots, both DVT and PE. This knowledge may save a life – perhaps
even your own. Click here for a link to At a Glance: Blood Clots from
NBCA from which you and others can benefit. More than 100,000
Americans die each year from DVT or PE.
While I’m proud to share our survivor stories, I also am compelled to remind
you that NBCA wants to make sure that as many patients with blood clots
survive and thrive and begin a renewed life after blood clots, like Charissa
and I were fortunate to do.
Your generosity ensures NBCA can continue essential programs by advancing
prevention, early diagnosis and successful treatment of blood clots,
clotting disorders and clot-provoked stroke through public awareness,
advocacy and patient and professional education.
Together we’ve set a goal to raise $30,000 by December 31, 2012, and we need
your help to reach it! This holiday season, please join us in
the fight to Stop The Clot and send your tax-deductable donation of $50,
$100, $250, $500, $1,000, by donating online at www.stoptheclot.org.
Your gift will truly save lives and we appreciate your generosity. My best
wishes to you and yours for a healthy and blood clot-free 2013. Thank
you for helping to Stop The Clot®.
Sincerely,
Justin Barch
Chairperson, Development Committee
Member, Board of Directors
