Please Donate to Help Stop the Clot
Dear Friend,
I’d
like to introduce you to an inspiring volunteer at the National Blood Clot
Alliance, Kelsey Minarik. Kelsey was only 21 when, during a
cross-country plane ride, she felt a lingering ache in the back of her knee
that was uncomfortable, but nothing that caused her immediate alarm.
Being a competitive athlete all her life, she chalked it up to a muscle sprain and thought it would “go away.” After five days of unrelieved pain without any reduction in swelling, she returned home via another long flight and immediately went to her family physician.
The moment the doctor saw her swollen leg, he instructed Kelsey to go directly to the emergency room. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was suspected, and she was very fortunate that his professional instincts were ultimately right. An ultrasound confirmed a large blood clot in her left leg that stretched up the length of her calf to the back of her knee. As you probably know, the diagnosis of a blood clot can be overwhelming. Like most DVT patients, Kelsey endured several weeks of twice-daily injections, a year’s worth of oral “blood-thinning” medication, countless doctors’ visits, and of course the inevitable compression stockings.
Extensive testing revealed that Kelsey did not possess any genetic predisposition to blood clots. Instead, the clot was enabled due to the hormonal birth control pills she took since age 17. The pills palliated the severe pain she experienced during menstrual cycles, but she never thought that she’d be a statistic in that percentage of women who develop adverse effects.
Kelsey told us, “I hope that by my sharing my life-threatening DVT experience, more people can learn about the signs and symptoms of clots. This happens to real people – they are not just empty statistics. Anyone is at risk for a blood clot. I am a living example and so very grateful for all the information and support provided by the National Blood Clot Alliance.” Today, Kelsey has resumed most of the activities she enjoyed before her blood clot. She’s thankful that her DVT was diagnosed before it became the more serious condition of a pulmonary embolism (PE), which causes over 100,000 deaths per year in America alone. Kelsey often says, “I’m proof that life continues after a devastating blood clot and that being aware of the signs and symptoms helps to save lives.”
In fact, Kelsey is so committed to reach out to the clotting community that she founded her own company, RejuvaHealth: The Fashionable Compression Stocking Store. The inspiration for the business came soon after Kelsey’s DVT diagnosis, when her doctor recommended compression stockings to ease leg pain and mediate swelling. She quickly fell in love with the garments’ relief-providing function, but was simultaneously frustrated with their traditional designs.
Determined to find a more fashion-forward support tight option, Kelsey set out to make her own. Kelsey’s now living her dream of successful entrepreneurship after turning her life-threatening DVT experience into a life-affirming one!
While I’m proud to share Kelsey’s triumphant story, I also am compelled to remind you that NBCA wants to make sure that as many blood clot stories as possible end like Kelsey’s - with an outcome of early recognition, quality health care, and renewed life.
Together we’ve set a goal to raise $30,000 by December 31, 2011, and we need your help to reach it! This holiday season, please join the fight to Stop The Clot and send your tax-deductable donation of $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000, or more in the enclosed envelope, or donate on-line at www.stoptheclot.org.
Your generosity ensures NBCA can continue to alert and educate the public and heath care providers about this silent killer. Your gift will help save lives and we appreciate your generosity.
Our best wishes to you and yours for a healthy 2012.
Sincerely,
Randy Fenninger
President
P.S. Don’t miss a chance to ‘meet’ Kelsey – you can view her video and send us your own message to Stop The Clot along with your donation by visiting http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/kelseyminarik
