World Thrombosis Day 2015: Join the Global Movement to Stop Blood Clots & Save Lives

WTD Logo (color cmyk) type English Oct 13

In just less than two weeks, the world will come together to celebrate World Thrombosis Day on October 13, 2015. World Thrombosis Day seeks to increase global awareness of thrombosis, including its causes, risk factors, signs, symptoms, evidence-based prevention and treatment; and ultimately strives to reduce death and disability caused by the disease.

What is World Thrombosis Day?

Founded in 2014, this is the second year for World Thrombosis Day (WTD) by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) in response to requests for a focused global awareness day on thrombosis. Each year, the WTD campaign centers around a specific area of blood clot awareness that has the potential to greatly impact the community and through increasing knowledge, hopefully reduce the risk and associated deaths that occur each and every day because of blood clots. Each year, blood clots affect more people than AIDS, breast cancer, and automobile accidents combined. Blood clots clots can, and do, affect anyone – from the very young, to the elderly to professionals to athletes to women to men. In the U.S. alone, up to 900,000 people each year are affected by blood clots in their legs and 1 person dies every 6 minutes due to a blood clot. The statistics are staggering.  

What is VTE?

Venous thromboembolism or VTE is simply deep vein thrombosis (DVT) + pulmonary embolism (PE). A blood clot that forms in a deep vein (usually in the leg or arm) is a DVT and a blood clot in the lung is a PE, which occurs when a DVT breaks free from a vein wall, travels to the lungs and blocks some or all of the blood supply to the lungs. PE can be fatal due to this obstruction. DVT and PE together are called VTE.

Why does it matter?

The positive news is, blood clots and the deaths that result because of them, are preventable. This year, awareness will focus on hospital related deaths as a result of VTE (deep vein thrombosis + pulmonary embolism). Being in the hospital is a major risk factor for the development of VTE. Up to 60 percent of VTE cases occur during or after hospitalization, making it a leading cause of  preventable hospital death. Patients who are hospitalized are at an increased risk for developing blood clots because of decreased mobility due to bedrest or recovery; or who experience blood vessel trauma due to surgery or other serious injury. In the U.S. alone, more than 540,000 hospitalized patients develop VTE and the procedures with increased risk are:

  • Orthopedic surgery (e.g., total hip or knee surgery)
  • Major general surgery (especially involving the abdomen, pelvis, hip or legs)
  • Major gynecological surgery
  • Urological surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Cardiothoracic surgery
  • Major peripheral vascular surgery
  • Chemotherapy for cancer treatment

I did not realize how important it was to understand your risk in regards to hospitalization and VTE because I have only been in the hospital for a DVT and PE. I have never been hospitalized for any major surgeries or injuries. I currently have a family member who is in the hospital for major surgery combined with cancer treatment and I was fortunate enough to be present in the hospital room when blood clots were being discussed. Risk was assessed and my family member was prescribed twice daily injections of lovenox to prevent blood clots. Prior to the surgery, a filter was inserted to hopefully prevent any PE complications after the procedure. Seeing the pain my loved one is already going through because of the diagnosis, I suddenly realized why it is also important to consider blood clots. With all of the things to worry about in terms of diagnosis and longterm recovery, I feel relieved that the hospital has skillfully and thoroughly done the best it can to reduce the risk of blood clots. Because my blood clot happened so suddenly, it mattered to be to see a different side of treatment. Blood clots and the pain and distress caused by them, can be prevented.

What can you do to help?
  • Take the Pledge and share. If you or a loved one is going to be hospitalized due to major surgery, illness or injury, be prepared discuss your risk and preventative plan with your healthcare provider. Taking this pledge can help remind you to do so if you are ever in that situation. 
  • Get involved on social media. Share, chat, tweet (details about the official chat below), discuss and show your support. These tools, including badges, banners and headers, will help you do just that.  
  • Share your story. Are you a VTE or blood clot survivor? Take a selfie, fill out this printout and share across social media. Be sure to include the hashtag #WTDay15 and #StopDeadlyClots.
  • Involve your own community. Explore, download and distribute WTD posters and flyers to help raise awareness in your corner of the globe. Talk to your loved ones about their risk.
Where will I be?

Promotional Graphic

  • World Thrombosis Day Twitter Chat on 13 October at noon U.S. ET. Use the hashtag #ClotChat to participate in a discussion about hospital-associated VTE. Follow @thrombosisday and @ClotRecoveryNet on Twitter for details.
  • Exclusive social media and blog posting on October 13. Don’t mis it. 

There is hope for healing and you are not alone,

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Giving Thanks

I wanted to come up with the perfect thing to say for Thanksgiving. The perfect thing that would be even more perfect than anything, anyone else out there could say this year. Day and night I’ve been thinking about it for the past couple of weeks and especially the last few days and still, nothing seems right. It’s not that gratefulness is hard to talk about – I know we are grateful to be alive, to be out of the hospital, to have answers to our questions, to have a family, friends, plans and a chance to fulfill our dreams, a second chance at life – it’s that I struggle to convey the magnitude of that gratefulness in just a few words. And while I am thankful for all of these things, my heart is full this holiday season with gratitude that goes far beyond myself, my family and my own recovery.

I am grateful for the George’s of the world. Who is George, you ask. He is the person behind the scenes, if you will, who makes this blog worth writing. He is the person who is always there in the support forums with an encouraging word for others, including myself, even when he’s not feeling his best. George is the one who tells it like it is with all the clarity and compassion and empathy he can muster. He’s the one who shares this site again and again and again. He screams it from the street corners, “You are not alone! You’re not the only one going through this! Look! Read this!” He asks questions, he engages, he doesn’t take no for an answer. When he wants to give up, he keeps on going; he reaches out, he asks for help, he doesn’t conceal his pain or anger or frustration at the situation we have all been catapulted into without a moment’s notice. When I want to give up, when I think I’m not making a difference, when I think nothing I have to say could possibly make an impact, George is there to sit me down, look me straight in the eyes, and tell me that yes, what I do actually does matter. He doesn’t take no for an answer and he won’t settle for less than my best. George, my friends, is you.

I am grateful for the comments and posts and emails that take my breath away and move me to tears when I least expect it. I am often overwhelmed with the amount of people who come forward to talk about how a blood clot has impacted their own lives. Tales of survival, of loss, of heartbreak and of joy – I have heard more stories than I can count. But, not more stories than I can remember. I remember each story I encounter, even if it is just a detail or two. Something always stands out behind the author – a true voice to the story being told. There are times I want to give up talking about blood clots, give up writing about recovery and give up this whole thing – the stories you have shared over these past two years and continue to share keep me going when I feel like giving up. As long as there are stories to tell, my work at BCRN is not finished. As long as people’s lives are being impacted by DVT and PE, there is more to say and while it may not always be easy, either is recovery, either is talking about it, either is sharing what has happened in your own personal triumphs and tragedies and yet, you still go on talking about it. So too, must I.

I am grateful for abundance in community. While it isn’t always easy to see, there are significant changes being made to raise awareness and bring DVT and PE as major public health concerns to the forefront. The community you have helped to build here grows stronger everyday and is widespread. I am grateful for athletes like NASCAR’s Brian Vickers and Olympic Speed Skater Rebekah Bradford, who have spoken out about their personal encounters with blood clots. Through stories such as there’s, we continue fighting to raise even more awareness. I am grateful for organizations like the National Blood Clot Alliance who fight to bring awareness to everyone. Our community is great, it is strong, and it is growing stronger each day. I am grateful for the opportunity to keep this community growing in abundance and change the way the public, medical professionals and the lawmakers think about blood clots. More needs to be done to stop blood clots and save lives. Together, we can make a difference.

I am grateful to be able to say Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I remember my first holidays after me PE – they were miserable, nothing mattered. I didn’t feel good, I didn’t think I would ever feel good, and I felt completely alone. I was sad, I hurt and not even a beautiful turkey (even though I’m pretty sure the turkey was just normal that year), dinner with my family or glittering Christmas tree could make me feel better. There was no way to fix it, no way to speed it up, no way to change it. Happy Thanksgiving did not come out of my mouth to anyone, not a single time. To you, the person that is hurting, that doesn’t see a way out, that isn’t enjoying dinner or doesn’t even have a dinner to enjoy, Happy Thanksgiving. To you, the person who is alone in a crowd or alone in your bed, Happy Thanksgiving. To you, the person whose leg hurts, whose lungs burn and who doesn’t know what tomorrow will bring for your health, Happy Thanksgiving. To you, the person who is recovering well, but just can’t forget the ones who are not yet, Happy Thanksgiving. To you, the outspoken individual who has shared your story a million times already and to you, who is still too unsure to tell it, Happy Thanksgiving. To you who has lost your job, or to you, who is wondering how you will pay for your medication next month, Happy Thanksgiving. To you that has found stability and is trying to move forward in your recovery from where you have already been, Happy Thanksgiving. To you who is grieving the loss of a loved one and to you, the one that wonders why you’re still here, Happy Thanksgiving.

And to you, George, Happy Thanksgiving.

Reader Writes In. How are you giving thanks this year?

There is hope for healing and you are not alone,

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World Thrombosis Day Giveaway!

WTD Giveaway

Happy World Thrombosis Day 2014!

In recognition of this special day and the global movement to “Stop Blood Clots, Save Lives,” I am hosting a World Thrombosis Day Giveaway! It is my hope that you wear these bracelets to raise awareness about blood clots including causes, risk factors, signs and symptoms.

Don’t want to wait to see if you win? You can order these bracelets in the shop, including the new “Have-A-Heart” Bracelet for World Thrombosis Day. During the month of October, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of a “Have-A-Heart” Bracelet will be donated to World Thrombosis Day.

Blood Clot Awareness Bracelet Pack Giveaway

bracelet giveaway pic

The Blood Clot Awareness Bracelet Pack Includes:

  • 1 Red Stretch Band Bracelet with Faith Love (side 1), Hope Courage (side 2) and Red Ribbon Charms
  • 1 “Have-A-Heart” for World Thrombosis Day Red Stretch Bracelet
  • 1 Stretch Burgundy Ribbon Bracelet (for Blood Disorder Awareness)
  • 1 Stretch Red and White Ribbon Bracelet (for PE Awareness)
  • 1 Stretch Red Ribbon Bracelet (for Blood Clot and DVT Awareness)
  • 1 Red and White Silicone Awareness Bracelet (for PE Awareness)

Enter through Rafflecopter below and please note, I will be selecting two (2) winners to receive the Blood Clot Awareness Bracelet Pack containing the six (6) bracelets listed above. The World Thrombosis Day Giveaway runs from midnight on today, October 13 through midnight on Saturday, October 18, 2014. Winners will be announced on the Rafflecopter Widget (found here) and be notified via email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize before a new winner will be drawn. Good luck and thank you for entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway