Board of Directors Chair Leslie Weeks explains, “John and Brenda’s passion for the cause is contagious, as evidenced by the numbers of people and resources they have galvanized to support the work of the Preeclampsia Foundation for over four years. Their fundraising efforts have raised close to $75,000 and they have reached tens of thousands of people with important messages about patient education and awareness. Their daughter, Shelly, would be proud of all they have and continue to accomplish.”

The Warner’s eldest daughter, Shelly Bridgewater, died at age 25 following the birth of her baby in 2005. She developed post-partum HELLP Syndrome, a particularly dangerous variant of preeclampsia that resulted in liver failure, kidney damage, uncontrollable hemorrhage and eventually brain death.

The Warners, along with their extended family and friends, have been supporters of the Preeclampsia Foundation and its mission to educate and drive awareness since 2005.

Their contributions include hosting record-breaking awareness walks in Davenport, Iowa, for the past five years, organizing several professional and patient education events with the local medical community, hosting numerous fundraisers such as Trivia Night and scrapbooking events, and acquiring the financial support of local and regional businesses. For several years, they have secured Gubernatorial proclamations declaring May “Preeclampsia Awareness Month” in Iowa.

Most recently, the Quad City River Bandits (the Quad Cities Class A Baseball team) named the Preeclampsia Foundation their designated charity for their home game on May 8, 2009, at which the Warner’s granddaughter (Shelly’s daughter) Hailey threw out the first pitch.

About Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia, a disorder of pregnancy, is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine; other symptoms often include swelling in the hands and face. Preeclampsia affects the mother’s kidneys, liver and other vital organs and, if undetected or untreated, can lead to seizures (eclampsia), cerebral hemorrhage, failure in vital organs (i.e., kidney and heart) and death. Preeclampsia complicates five to eight percent of all pregnancies and is responsible for 15 percent of all premature births. By conservative estimates, each year this disease is responsible for 76,000 maternal deaths worldwide.