Community Corner

Promise Walk for Preeclampsia Raises Over $12,000

Walk organized by Springfield Mom raises funds for Preeclampsia.

A Springfield mom transformed a near-fatal tragedy into hope and help for pregnant women throughout the state.

organized the first-ever public Promise Walk for Preeclampsia in New Jersey and helped to raise over $12,000 for a disorder that almost took her life and that of her unborn child.

Steiner was diagnosed with preeclampsia, a disorder that occurs during pregnancy and affects both the mother and the fetus, while awaiting her first child Marissa, now a healthy 11-year-old.

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The walk was held this past Mother’s Day at Nomahegan Park in Cranford, and attracted 60 walkers and raised needed funds and awareness for this potentially fatal disease.

“Organizing this walk was far more work than I ever anticipated but also far more rewarding after hearing the stories of the participants and why they choose to spend Mother’s Day participating in The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia,” Steiner said. “While this disease put my life and the life of my daughter in jeopardy, I consider us to be the lucky ones and I am honored to walk to raise awareness and funds so that all pregnant women and children are eventually safe from this dreadful disease.

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She added: "I am especially grateful to our national sponsors the Beckman Coulter Foundation, Alere and Cord Blood Registry which helped defray our operational costs so all funds could go directly to the Preeclampsia Foundation.”

The event was the first New Jersey Promise Walk for Preeclampsia. Previously, Steiner and her family (which also includes her husband David, daughter Marissa and son Andrew) participated in a “Friends & Family” version of the walk. This is the first year that the walk was opened up statewide and attracted participants from throughout the state including Springfield, Cranford, Basking Ridge, Edison, Hamilton Square, Palmyra, Deptford, Scotch Plains, Chatham, Flemington, Hazlet, Jersey City, Verona and others.

In addition to the pledges for the Promise Walk for Preeclampsia, Steiner and her co-organizer, Kim Kopecky of Rahway, put together a basket auction that added to the $12,000 raised. Also attending this year’s Promise Walk for Preeclampsia was Patrick Dignan, Chairman of the Board of the Preeclampsia Foundation.

“It was wonderful to see such a strong turnout and show of support,” Dignan said. “I was drawn to the Preeclampsia Foundation back in 2004 for information and understanding, several years after my first wife Donna died from the effects of severe preeclampsia complicated by HELLP Syndrome. The need for information, awareness and research about preeclampsia still remains.”

The walk benefits the Preeclampsia Foundation, and seeks to support research, promote patient and health care provider education and raise critical public awareness about this potentially devastating disease. Preeclampsia is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine. The cause of preeclampsia is still not fully understood, and the only “cure” for the condition begins with delivery, which can be problematic, as preeclampsia can occur as early as 20 weeks. Approximately five to eight percent of pregnancies are affected by preeclampsia, and it is responsible for approximately 18 percent of all maternal deaths.

Donations will still be accepted for The Promise Walk for Preeclampsia through the month of May for Preeclampsia Awareness Month.  Visit www.promisewalk.org and click on the link for the Cranford, New Jersey walk to donate. For more information on the Preeclampsia Foundation, call toll free (800) 665-9341 or visit www.preeclampsia.org.


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