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National Heart Month: All About AFib | February e-Newsletter

In our February e-Newsletter, we take a closer look at atrial fibrillation, or AFib, in …

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Apply for the Jennifer Luft Emerging VTE Clinician Research Award

The Jennifer Luft Emerging VTE Clinician Research Award is named in memory of Jennifer Luft, who suffered from pulmonary emboli…

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Maintaining Trust: NBCA Earns Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency for 2026

Trust and transparency are essential to the work of nonprofit organizations, especially those dedicated to saving lives and supporting patients…

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Advancing blood clot awareness, prevention, diagnosis & treatments to #stoptheclot. Submit your story @ link below ⬇️ Our podcast: Taking a Breath 🎙️

We’re proud to share that the National Blood Clo

We’re proud to share that the National Blood Clot Alliance has once again earned Candid’s Platinum Seal of Transparency.

This marks our second consecutive year receiving Candid’s highest level of recognition, placing NBCA among fewer than 1% of U.S. nonprofits that meet the most rigorous standards for transparency and accountability.

For our supporters, this seal reflects our commitment to openly sharing how we operate, how we use donor support, and the impact of our lifesaving blood clot awareness and education programs.

Transparency isn’t a one-time achievement, it’s a responsibility we take seriously, year after year.

Read more: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #VTE #CandidPlatinumSeal #NonprofitExcellence

@CandidDotOrg

As told by Justin’s mother, Lauren:

“Justin’s experience with blood clots started as back pain after a hockey tournament. We went to the ER and were told it was spasms and to follow up with an orthopedic doctor.

Justin was diagnosed with a bulging disk and started physical therapy. In a month, we went to two ERs, an orthopedic specialist, two chiropractors, and a physical therapist to find answers.

By week four, we expressed concern to his strength coach because his legs felt tired, heavy, and swollen. He suggested pushing for another scan and blood work.

We took Justin to the hospital, where scans showed clots that began in his inferior vena cava vein in the abdomen and went down to the knees. He was admitted and started on heparin.

The next three days consisted of three surgeries. But after eight hours into the second surgery, his surgeon said that the clots turned into scar tissue and couldn’t be removed. But after eight more hours in the OR, they were able to remove the majority of the clots.

With no definitive reason why this happened, we went home on enoxaparin shots twice per day. He tested negative for genetic clotting disorders. It’s assumed that the clots were caused by dehydration and the long car ride, and turned into scar tissue because they were present for about four weeks. If a simple blood test been done, the clots would’ve been found earlier and wouldn’t have progressed.

Determined to return to the ice, his amazing hematologist agreed to learn from other doctors who work with athletes who have had clots. He looked at the whole child. Without hockey, Justin was susceptible to depression and anxiety; a return to normal life was imperative.

Justin returned to the ice three months later, on his 16th birthday. After his diagnosis, I found the National Blood Clot Alliance online. Advocating for your child and yourself is extremely important. Doctors told us he'd never play hockey again, but I knew there were alternatives because of NBCA’s website.

Find doctors who will listen. Justin’s clots progressed because he didn't fit the criteria. We are forever thankful to his coaches, doctors, and nurses who listened and saved him.”

❤️‍🩹 Life after a blood clot isn’t just

❤️‍🩹 Life after a blood clot isn’t just physical, it can take a real mental and emotional toll, too.

Our private Facebook support group connects more than 11,000 survivors and caregivers who get it—the fears, questions, and feelings that can be hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t lived it. It’s a space to be honest, feel understood, and learn from others who’ve walked the same path.

If you’re navigating life after a blood clot, you don’t have to do it alone.

💬 Join the community: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #BloodClotSupportGroup #PeerSupport

January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day, and w

January 23 is Maternal Health Awareness Day, and we want to bring attention to one of the most common causes of pregnancy-related death in the United States: pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period significantly increase the risk of blood clots. Women are five times more likely to experience a pulmonary embolism during pregnancy and in the three months after delivery. The risk is even higher after surgical delivery — a cesarean section doubles a woman’s risk of developing a PE.

Symptoms of pulmonary embolism, such as shortness of breath, chest pain, a rapid heart rate, or feeling faint, are often mistaken for normal pregnancy changes. When warning signs are missed or dismissed, diagnosis and treatment can be dangerously delayed.

This year’s theme, holding ground on maternal health, reinforces the fact that pregnant and postpartum patients need to be taken seriously, evaluated promptly, and given access to lifesaving care.

If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your healthcare provider about your blood clot risk and a personalized blood clot prevention plan. Early recognition, prevention, and action can save lives.

Learn more: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #MaternalHealthAwarenessDay #Pregnancy

“I am a 24-year-old first-year medical student.

“I am a 24-year-old first-year medical student. On December 18, 2025, I was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism, a life-threatening condition that requires prompt recognition and treatment.

That day, I initially presented the emergency department with severe shortness of breath, near-syncope (fainting), and a rapid heart rate (tachycardia). I explicitly expressed that I felt like I was going to pass out, was unable to breathe normally, and needed immediate assistance. Despite these classic red-flag symptoms, the triage nurse dismissed my concerns.

Because of this dismissal and lack of appropriate response, I made the decision to leave and seek care elsewhere. I went to another hospital, where I was immediately evaluated. The medical team there promptly recognized the severity of my condition, diagnosed a pulmonary embolism, and performed an emergent thrombectomy, which ultimately saved my life. I was explicitly told by physicians that had I not advocated for myself and left the first hospital, I would likely not have survived.

My experience with a blood clot has had a lasting emotional and physical impact. I continue to struggle with medical trauma, and as a medical student, I am experiencing moral injury due to feeling dismissed, a lack of empathy, and a lack of accountability within the healthcare system.

Since this experience, I have learned the importance of patient self-advocacy, listening to bodily warning signs, and recognizing how profoundly medical trauma can affect recovery. The NBCA resources have been helpful in better understanding my diagnosis and what recovery entails.

My advice is to advocate for yourself relentlessly and listen to your body. Trust your instincts, seek care elsewhere if needed, and never hesitate to ask for help.”

More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #Gaslighting #MedicalTrauma #PE

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our journa

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our journal club session this week!

If you missed it, we discussed a paper published in Thrombosis Research titled, “Antithrombin Testing and Treatment in Pregnancy: Their Real-World Relationship to Clinical Outcomes.”

The discussion included the paper’s author, Dr. Jerome (Jeff) Federspiel of Duke University Medical Center, as well as Dr. Emily Nagler of Scripps Health, and Drs. Zachary Schoepflin and Ishan Tatake of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Watch the recording at the link in bio.

#StopTheClot #AntithrombinTesting #Pregnancy #BloodClots #JournalClub

Blood clots don’t always show up where you expec

Blood clots don’t always show up where you expect them.

Beyond the legs and lungs, blood clots can form in less common—and often overlooked—areas of the body. This can lead to delayed treatment, confusing symptoms, and serious complications if not recognized early.

In this upcoming PEP Talk, expert guest Dr. Stephan Moll of the University of North Carolina will break down what patients and caregivers need to know, including:

- The most frequent uncommon clot locations
- Symptoms that are often misdiagnosed or overlooked
- When to push for imaging and which tests are needed
- Risk factors that raise your chances of an atypical clot

This session will help you recognize warning signs, ask the right questions, and feel more confident navigating the diagnostic process, even when symptoms don’t fit the “typical” picture.

🔗 Register: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #CVST #AtypicalBloodClots

HAPPENING TODAY: Antithrombin deficiency carries s

HAPPENING TODAY: Antithrombin deficiency carries serious risk in pregnancy, yet real-world testing and treatment remain inconsistent.

Join NBCA’s Journal Club today (3–4 p.m. ET) as Drs. Jerome (Jeff) Federspiel, Emily Nagler, Zachary Schoepflin, and Ishan Tatake discuss a 2024 study published in Thrombosis Research examining real-world patterns of antithrombin testing, treatment, and outcomes in pregnancy.

👉 Register: Link in bio.

@dukeuniversity
@scrippshealth
@bethisraellaheyhealth

#StopTheClot #AntithrombinTesting #Pregnancy #BloodClots #JournalClub

⏱️Thanks to supporters like you, we’re less

⏱️Thanks to supporters like you, we’re less than $20,000 from our $100,000 goal.

Every gift made today is matched dollar-for-dollar, but the opportunity ends tonight.

Plus, donate any amount today and you’ll be entered to win 1 of 5 Stop the Clot® dog bandanas 🐾

Blood clots don’t wait, and awareness only saves lives if it reaches people in time. If you’ve been considering a gift, today is the day it matters most.

👉 Donate now and double your impact before midnight: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClotAdvocacy #BloodClotAwareness

How are antithrombin testing and treatment actuall

How are antithrombin testing and treatment actually being used in pregnancy, and what does that mean for patient outcomes?

Our next NBCA Journal Club session on Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 3-4 p.m. ET will examine a 2024 Thrombosis Research article that analyzes real-world patterns of antithrombin testing and treatment in pregnant patients, and how these practices relate to VTE risk, maternal outcomes, and gaps in care.

This panel discussion, with clinicians from Duke University Medical Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Scripps Health, looks at what’s happening in real clinical settings where earlier testing or intervention may change outcomes.

We hope you’ll join us!

🗓 Wednesday, January 21

⏰ 3–4 p.m. ET | Zoom

REGISTER: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #AntithrombinTesting #Pregnancy #BloodClots #JournalClub

The National Blood Clot Alliance honors the many a

The National Blood Clot Alliance honors the many accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this special day.

His words resonate deeply as we strive for a healthier, more just world: "Of all forms of discrimination and inequalities, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman."

Let's unite in the fight against health disparities.

Blood clots happen most often in the legs or lungs

Blood clots happen most often in the legs or lungs, but Tiffani's were in the abdominal veins. Our next PEP Talk on Feb. 10 is focused on blood clots in less common locations and how patients can recognize warning signs.👉 We hope you’ll join us. Register at the link in bio.

⬇️ Read Tiffani’s full story ⬇️

“When I developed my first clot, I was undergoing immunotherapy for stage 4 metastatic melanoma. My regimen was four infusions, five weeks apart, to boost the immune system and help fight the cancer. After that, I received additional infusions at a lower dosage.

At first, I had no side effects other than fatigue, then I was hit with horrible abdominal pain, and was taken to the ER. The diagnosis was mesenteric eschemia, in which where blood flow in the superior mesenteric vein in the intestine is blocked by a blood clot.

I was told to call my family because I would never leave the ICU. But I’m a fighter and told them to just watch me. Somehow, I was discharged a week later and given a prescription for warfarin.

My hematologist tested me for everything, as did a genetics specialist. I carry not a single gene that could explain the clots. (I also carry no cancer genres and yet this was my fourth primary cancer).

I also have long QT syndrome, a heart rhythm disorder, and needed an ablation on my heart. The plan was to go off of enoxaparin for 48 hours prior and then resume the morning after the ablation. Two weeks later, I was back in the ER with a new clot.

My right portal vein is completely occluded, which has caused stage 4 scarring on my liver. My superior mesenteric vein is also occluded. I underwent a procedure where a coil was placed in an attempt to restore blood flow, but it failed within six hours, so I had emergency surgery to remove it. At this point, the doctors tell me the most we can hope for is to prevent new blood clots.

The good news is that I am in remission from the cancer. Now if we could just restore some blood flow. The current plan is enoxaparin for life.

My advice to others: don’t ever miss a dose of medication. And be the squeaky wheel. Fight for yourself, and don’t ever give up!”

More stories: Link in bio.

Most people associate venous blood clots with the

Most people associate venous blood clots with the legs or lungs, but they can form in other parts of the body, too, including the brain, arm, kidneys, and more.

When they do, symptoms are often missed or misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and increasing risk.

In our next PEP Talk on Tuesday, February 10 at 7 p.m. ET, expert guest Dr. Stephan Moll of the University of North Carolina breaks down:

• Where uncommon clots most often occur
• Symptoms that are easy to overlook
• When to push for imaging and which tests matter
• Risk factors for atypical clots
• How to advocate for yourself when something doesn’t feel right

This session will help you recognize warning signs, ask better questions, and feel more confident navigating diagnosis when symptoms don’t fit the typical picture.

👉 Register: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #DVT #PE #CVST #PEPTalk

“In February 2022, when I was 16 years old, I wo

“In February 2022, when I was 16 years old, I woke up with intense chest pain, shortness of breath, and pain in my left leg. At first, I thought I had COVID-19, as I had no idea what a blood clot was. However, after visiting my pediatrician, I was told to go to the emergency room immediately because she suspected blood clots in both my leg and lungs.

I was admitted to the hospital, but it remained a mystery why an otherwise healthy and active teenager would develop blood clots. After further testing, I was diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome and triple-positive antiphospholipid syndrome. I later underwent a procedure to place a stent in my left iliac vein, resolving the compression caused by May-Thurner syndrome.

I was also started on twice-daily enoxaparin injections, which I continue to take today, as I require lifelong anticoagulation due to my antiphospholipid syndrome.

I am extremely grateful that nearly four years later, I have remained blood clot–free thanks to the excellent care I have received and continue to receive from my healthcare team.

I have had to avoid participating in contact sports and other risky activities, but still participate in the sports that I love with necessary modifications.

I have learned that anybody can get a blood clot, as blood clots do not discriminate. NBCA has helped in my recovery process, as I have been able to read about blood clot survivors who share similar stories to mine. NBCA has also provided resources to help share the signs of blood clots.

Everyone’s recovery process looks different. My advice is to be patient with yourself and listen to what your body needs.”

More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #APS #AntiphospholipidSyndrome #MTS #MayThurnerSyndrome #BloodClots

Staying hydrated plays an important role in blood

Staying hydrated plays an important role in blood clot prevention — and it matters year-round, even in winter. 💧❄️

Cold weather can dull thirst and dry indoor air can increase fluid loss, making dehydration easier to miss.

When the body doesn’t get enough fluids, blood can become more concentrated. That may make it easier for blood cells to stick together — increasing the risk of clots. Staying hydrated helps keep blood flowing smoothly and supports healthy circulation.

⚠️ Extra hydration is especially important during winter when:

- You’re sick with a cold or flu (fever + cold meds can dehydrate you)
- You’re traveling or sitting for long periods
- You’re exercising indoors
- You’re spending more time in heated, dry air

Simple tips to help you stay hydrated:

- Keep a water bottle with you
- Track your water intake
- Eat water-rich foods like fruits and veggies
- Drink more than you think you need when exercising or feeling unwell

What helps you stay hydrated throughout the day? Share your tips in the comments!

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #BloodClotPrevention #Hydration #DrinkWater

Thank you to everyone who joined last night’s PE

Thank you to everyone who joined last night’s PEP Talk on ultrasound and blood clot detection!

In this clip, @julie.at.uum explains how patients can speak up and advocate for an ultrasound when they’re worried about a possible blood clot in the leg (DVT).

🎙️ Watch the full recording and register for our February PEP Talk on clots in unexpected places: (links in bio)

#StopTheClot #Ultrasound #BloodClots #DVT #peptalk

2X the cuteness. 2X the awareness. 2X the impact.

2X the cuteness. 2X the awareness. 2X the impact. 🐾❤️

These adorable pups are proudly wearing their Stop the Clot® awareness bandanas—and right now, they’re helping us spread an urgent message: your support can go twice as far.

Supporters like you helped us raise $72,000 during our year-end campaign, fueling lifesaving blood clot awareness, education, and support nationwide. Now, we have a rare opportunity to do even more.

From now until January 20, an anonymous donor will match every donation dollar for dollar, up to $15,000—potentially unlocking $30,000 to expand blood clot awareness and education and ensure patients and families get the information they need before a clot becomes a tragedy.

That means our $100,000 goal to start the new year strong is within reach, but only with your help.

Awareness and prevention save lives only if they reach people in time. When individuals recognize the signs of blood clots sooner, they can seek care faster and outcomes improve.

Your gift today will:

- Be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $15,000
- Help us reach our $100,000 goal
- Double blood clot awareness, education, and prevention efforts nationwide

Matching opportunities like this are rare, and the need is urgent. Together, we can turn this moment into lifesaving awareness and action.

Donate Now: Link in bio.

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Learn how ultrasound can detect

HAPPENING TONIGHT: Learn how ultrasound can detect dangerous blood clots early and how to advocate for this lifesaving test.

Join our January PEP Talk with ultrasound expert Julie Cardoso of Universal Ultrasound to understand when ultrasound is recommended and how early detection can prevent deep vein thrombosis from becoming a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

If you can’t attend the live session, register anyway to get the recording sent to your inbox.

🕖 Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. ET
👉 Register: Link in bio

#StopTheClot #Ultrasound #BloodClots #DVT #PEPTalk

❤️ A blood clot diagnosis can feel overwhelmin

❤️ A blood clot diagnosis can feel overwhelming, and many patients aren’t sure what comes next.

To support patients and families, we created our New Patient Guide — a practical handbook for people newly diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).

The guide helps patients and caregivers understand the diagnosis, answer common questions, and find trusted resources for navigating life after a blood clot.

New: Hard copies are now available in Spanish. Healthcare providers can order copies for their patients at no cost, just pay for shipping.

Download or order copies: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #BloodClots #NewPatientGuide #PulmonaryEmbolism #DeepVeinThrombosis #CVST

“After an eight-mile run in November 2025, I had

“After an eight-mile run in November 2025, I had pain behind my knee/high calf. I thought I may have strained it, but after two days of rest, I could barely walk.

I went to urgent care on the third day, knowing something was off. The nurse laughed at me and said I was wasting their time and should go home because there was no way I could have a blood clot. I was only 40, and had a low heart rate and blood pressure.

Luckily, my partner encouraged me to stay and talk with the doctor. She listened to me and ordered a precautionary ultrasound. They found the DVT immediately and sent me to the emergency room.

I did not experience a pulmonary embolism, but I had chest pain and abnormal troponin levels. Troponin is a protein that’s released into the blood when the heart muscle is under stress or injured.

In terms of risk factors, I was on estrogen-based birth control.

It’s frustrating and anxiety-inducing going from being so active to not trusting my body. Also, every doctor I saw has said apixaban doesn’t have side effects but I don’t feel well on it (headaches, digestive issues, fatigue).

You know your body, so trust your gut and push for answers. You are your best advocate.”

Like Elle, many blood clot patients undergo an ultrasound when a DVT is suspected, and this is the topic of tomorrow night’s January PEP Talk. Register: Link in bio.

More stories: Link in bio.

#StopTheClot #StopTheClotStory #BloodClots #DVT

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