https://letstalkppcm.org/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hhs-cdc-staff-birth-control-safety-women-at-risk/, https://www.a

LetsTalk PPCM, Grand Prairie, TX (2026)

04/19/2026

Our heart sister Casey’s PPCM journey has been featured on CBS News. We’re deeply grateful for the opportunity to help bring awareness to this often-overlooked, life-threatening pregnancy- related heart condition.

Stories like hers remind us why this work matters, because every mother’s heart matters. ❤️‍🩹

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17bdL6GPxw/

04/18/2026

Meet Kayla:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe she was in full-blown heart failure?

On September 17th, 2024, at 28 weeks, Kayla gave birth to her baby boy who is continuing to do well. She was living a very healthy lifestyle until she began feeling short of breath. Two months postpartum, she was admitted to the hospital for shortness of breath and possible signs of pneumonia.

Many tests were run and it was determined she was suffering from Postpartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that is defined as a deterioration in cardiac function presenting typically between the last month of pregnancy and up to twelve months postpartum.

With heavy hearts we share the news that Kayla was not properly diagnosed in time and on December 20th, 2024 tragically succumbed to this dreadful condition. The family states her journey was a testament to strength and resilience, and her love for her family and community shone brightly even in the toughest moments. She was an advocate, a fighter, and an inspiration to many.

Our deepest condolences go out to her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. Let us honor her legacy by continuing to raise awareness about PPCM and supporting those affected by this devastating illness.

Kayla’s family has started an awareness page in her honor, .grayson. They have also created beautiful awareness bracelets that can be found at https://heartmomppcm.com. They feel a BNP blood test should be done on all mothers at risk, to sooner detect PPCM.

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1 to share your PPCM story while helping increase awareness.

04/16/2026

In many cases, a woman’s pregnancy progresses without any major concerns.❤️

Prenatal visits are routine, vital signs are stable, and there are no clear red flags. She may be active, preparing for her baby, and even receiving reassurance that everything looks healthy.

Delivery can also go smoothly, with no immediate complications that suggest anything is wrong with the heart. What starts off feeling like “normal” postpartum symptoms, fatigue, shortness of breath, swelling in the legs or feet, can gradually intensify.

Because these symptoms are common after giving birth, they’re often overlooked or dismissed at first. But underneath, the heart may already be weakening. As PPCM develops, the heart muscle begins to stretch and lose its ability to pump effectively.

This deterioration can happen quietly at first, then rapidly. A woman who was just told she was healthy can suddenly find herself struggling to breathe, unable to lie flat, experiencing a racing heartbeat, or feeling an overwhelming heaviness in her chest.

For some, it escalates quickly into severe heart failure, requiring hospitalization, oxygen support, or even intensive care.

That’s what makes PPCM so dangerous: the contrast between “everything is fine” and a life-threatening condition can be incredibly short. There is often no warning until the symptoms become impossible to ignore.

This is why awareness matters so much, because recognizing that “normal” postpartum discomfort shouldn’t progressively worsen could be the difference between early treatment and a medical emergency.

With the support of movements like , more attention is finally being brought to PPCM.

Visit https://letstalkppcm.org to learn more about PPCM and how you can help us save moms hearts.🫀

04/14/2026

Meet Adraia Virgilio:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe she was in full-blown heart failure?

Residing in Georgia, Adraia had just welcomed her fourth daughter when she developed a persistent cough, elevated heart rate, and high blood pressure during labor, leading to a diagnosis of preeclampsia. She was discharged the next day, but the cough did not improve.

That night, she was unable to lie down without coughing, and even slight pressure on her chest intensified her symptoms. She knew something wasn’t right. The next day, she returned to the hospital, this time not as an ER employee, but as a patient. After undergoing a CT scan and echocardiogram, the severity of her condition became clear.

Her heart function, measured by her ejection fraction, was critically low at 10–15%, and fluid had built up in her lungs. She was admitted and spent five days in the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), followed by three days on the telemetry floor, fighting for her life while also processing becoming a new mother again.

When her heart did not improve as expected with medication alone, doctors made the decision to implant a defibrillator to monitor and protect her heart, something she still has today. Over time, her heart has continued to heal and has improved to 45–50% heart function.

She was then diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that can develop during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum and can be life-threatening if left undetected.

Today, Adraia is still on her road to recovery. She has turned her experience into purpose. As a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), she now offers local-mobile BNP blood testing through her business, Prestige Collection Services.

IG:

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1
to share your PPCM story and help raise awareness.

04/13/2026

Every bracelet tells a story… and helps save a life. ❤️‍🩹

In honor of our late heart sister Kayla, her family is turning pain into purpose, raising funds to support moms at risk of PPCM. We are so grateful to partner with them to help provide Free BNP Blood Testing assistance for moms who may not have the resources or insurance coverage.

When you purchase a bracelet from HeartMomPPCM.com, you’re not just wearing awareness, you’re helping a mom get answers, early detection, and a fighting chance.

Because of their generosity, 10 bracelets have also been donated to Let’sTalkPPCM and will be included in our PPCM Awareness Week giveaway in May!

Help us keep this mission going:
• Grab your bracelet
• Share this post
• Be a part of saving moms’ lives

Together, we can turn awareness into action.

Learn more about PPCM Screening: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

04/11/2026

As we recognize , this story serves as a reminder that behind every statistic is a family, a lived experience, and a legacy that continues to speak.🫀

This photo captures two young sisters Brianna (7) and Crystal (14) taken long before anyone understood what life would later require of them.

In 2006, their family experienced the loss of their mother.

Years later, in 2014, the family was shaken again when Crystal (27), who had given birth just six months prior, passed away from an unknown heart condition. At the time, there was no clear diagnosis or understanding of what had occurred.

Just 2.5 years later, Brianna (23) began experiencing the same unfamiliar symptoms (short of breath) and was later diagnosed with what is now known as Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a pregnancy induced heart failure.

What once took one sister, nearly took another.

This is why Let’s Talk PPCM exists.

The organization was created to raise awareness, improve education, and support early recognition of maternal heart health conditions, that are too often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or discovered too late.

The mission is simple: to ensure no mother is left without answers, support, or hope.

Every mother, baby, and family navigating this journey is honored, during BMHW and every week of the year.

Because awareness does not end with a moment. It saves lives. ❤️‍🩹

Learn more about PPCM: https://letstalkppcm.org

04/10/2026

We are ONE MONTH away from PPCM Awareness Week!

💐 Our special events will take place during Mother’s Day week, because this moment matters.

Mother’s Day is meant to celebrate life…
But for too many families, it’s also a reminder of the mothers we’ve lost.

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a life-threatening heart condition that can happen during pregnancy or postpartum, even in healthy women.

Symptoms are often dismissed as “normal” and Diagnosis often comes too late.

That’s why we’re using PPCM Awareness Week to:

• Honor the mothers still here
• Remember the ones we’ve lost
• Educate families & medical professionals
• Push for EARLY DETECTION

Because awareness leads to:
• Early diagnosis
• Proper testing (BNP & Echocardiogram)
• Saved lives

AND we have something FUN in store for our amazing community supporters. 👀

By joining our virtual events, you are helping to:

✔️ Spread life-saving awareness
✔️ Empower women to advocate for themselves
✔️ Encourage early heart checks
✔️ Protect future mothers

One week. One mission.
To save mothers’ lives.

Attend 3 or more sessions to be entered in drawing: https://letstalkppcm.org/upcoming-events

04/05/2026

Meet Natasha Tucker-Attram:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe she was in full-blown heart failure?

Residing in the United Kingdom, Natasha Tucker-Attram first developed symptoms shortly after an emergency C-section in 2020. In the weeks leading up to delivery, she experienced episodes of tachycardia. After giving birth, she developed a persistent cough and required 10 liters of oxygen. A series of tests, including an X-ray, CT scan, and echocardiogram, ultimately led to the diagnosis: Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that can develop during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum and can be life-threatening if left undetected.

Her daughter was born during the height of the global pandemic, leaving her feeling isolated, overwhelmed, and unsure of what the diagnosis truly meant. With limited support, she turned to her own research and found connection through online communities. At the time of diagnosis, her heart function was between 35–40%, but within six months, it recovered to normal levels.

In 2023, she welcomed her first son. Throughout the pregnancy, monitoring showed normal heart function, including an echocardiogram during the second trimester and another shortly after delivery. However, one month postpartum, her heart function dropped again to 45%. Despite having no major symptoms aside from mild tachycardia near the end of pregnancy, she once again faced a whirlwind of emotions. Within six months, her heart function recovered again.

In 2025, during her third pregnancy, her care plan became more proactive. Regular BNP testing and echocardiograms were performed throughout. Each symptom brought anxiety, as she questioned whether PPCM was returning. This time, she was placed on a low-dose beta blocker and had a planned C-section at 38wks, partly due to a diagnosis of a short cervix and the hope of reducing strain on her heart.

On the day of delivery, her heart function remained within normal range. However, tachycardia persisted throughout the second and third trimesters. Within 48 hours after delivery, her heart function dropped again to 48%. ❤️‍🩹

Today, Natasha is still on her road to recovery after post-PPCM pregnancy. Her journey highlights the unpredictable nature of PPCM, even with monitoring, planning, and prior recovery. She believes that early BNP testing and echocardiograms at the first signs of symptoms could help save lives.

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1
to share your PPCM story and help raise awareness.

04/02/2026

What Stress Does to the Body After a PPCM Diagnosis:

When you’re dealing with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) a form of heart failure that can occur late in pregnancy or in the months after delivery you’re already facing physical and emotional strain.

🧠 1. Activation of the Stress Response

When you’re stressed, your body releases hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These trigger your “fight or flight” response, raising heart rate and blood pressure. Over time, this can put extra strain on a heart that’s already weakened. Chronic activation of this system is linked to worse outcomes in heart disease.

❤️ 2. Stress Is Real Cardiovascular Risk

In a study from the Dallas Heart Study led by Dr. Ijeoma Eleazu, researchers created a “cumulative stress score” encompassing general, social, financial, and neighborhood stress. They found that higher levels of perceived stress were associated with higher risk factors for cardiovascular disease, even after accounting for things like blood pressure and cholesterol.

This suggests stress isn’t just “in your head” it directly affects the heart.

Dr. Eleazu noted that there’s a huge mind-heart connection that’s often overlooked in medicine: emotional stress and perceived pressures can lead to behaviors and physiological changes that worsen heart health.

🧠 3. Emotional Stress Influences Healing

After a PPCM diagnosis, emotional stress worry about recovery, fear for the future, and the pressures of motherhood, can:

•Interfere with sleep

•Increase inflammation

•Impact blood pressure regulation

•Make it harder to follow treatment plans

This doesn’t mean stress causes PPCM, but it can influence how your body responds and heals. Reducing stress can support your overall recovery process.

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1
to share your PPCM story and help raise awareness.

03/29/2026

Meet Carmelita Murphy:

Shortly after welcoming her son, Carmelita began experiencing shortness of breath. Thinking it was anxiety, she sought medical care but was sent home with that same assumption. Over the next two weeks, her condition worsened, her legs began to swell, her breathing became more difficult, and she developed severe headaches. Like many new mothers, she believed it was all part of postpartum recovery, but her body was telling a different story.

One morning around 1 a.m., when she tried to get up to tend to her crying baby, she became dizzy and collapsed. Her son’s father immediately called 911, and Carmelita was airlifted to the hospital. Doctors soon discovered blood clots in her heart, one of which had traveled to her brain, causing a stroke. She was diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a life-threatening and often misdiagnosed condition that can develop during pregnancy or up to 12 months postpartum, weakening the heart and making it difficult to pump blood effectively.

What followed was a fight for her life. Before receiving her life-saving heart transplant, Carmelita endured some of the most critical forms of life support, including living with an LVAD (a mechanical heart pump), requiring a balloon pump, and being placed on ECMO, a last-resort system that temporarily took over the function of her heart and lungs. Despite it all, she kept fighting.

Today, after a 5+ year battle, Carmelita is living with a new heart, a second chance at life. She is stepping into a new chapter filled with hope, healing, and the joy of raising her beloved son. While her journey has forever changed her life and she now lives with a “new normal,” her strength, faith, and resilience continue to shine.

We invite you to support Carmelita and her son, DJ, as they rebuild their lives. All donations will go directly toward medical expenses, recovery support, and helping this resilient family start fresh. ❤️‍🩹

🔗 https://gofund.me/250a827c5

Help support our mission: letstalkppcm.org

03/28/2026

For Moms at Risk or Experiencing Symptoms 💗

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) can develop during pregnancy or after delivery, and the most important thing to know is this: early symptoms are often subtle, but they are not normal, and they should never be ignored.

🫀 Common early symptoms to watch for:
Shortness of breath that feels unusual or worsening, trouble lying flat, swelling in the legs or face that is getting worse, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, chest tightness, or extreme fatigue that feels different from typical pregnancy tiredness.

Common Risk Factors to Know:
• High blood pressure or preeclampsia during pregnancy
• Pregnancy with twins or multiples
• Age 30 and older
• History of heart disease or prior PPCM
• Family history of cardiomyopathy or heart failure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Black/African American maternal background (higher statistical risk due to medical + systemic factors)

Risk factors help identify who may need closer attention, but symptoms + early testing (BNP trends + Echocardiogram) are what help catch PPCM early and prevent progression.

The goal in both the first trimester and postpartum is trend tracking, not just one-time testing, making sure heart strain markers and heart function are not quietly increasing over time.

Early changes matter, because PPCM is most manageable when it is caught and addressed early.

💞 Always trust your symptoms. If something feels different, breathing, swelling, fatigue, or heart rhythm, ask for evaluation right away.

You deserve to have your concerns taken seriously.

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1
to share your PPCM story and help raise awareness.

03/25/2026

Meet Trisa McAveney:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe she was in full-blown heart failure?

Residing in Pennsylvania, Trisa’s story began in 2005 at just 26yrs old while pregnant with her first child. Throughout her pregnancy, she gained nearly eight pounds a month. Although she voiced concern, she was reassured that some women simply gain more weight and that it was nothing to worry about. By 26wks, the swelling had become severe.

After seeking medical attention, she was told her blood pressure was elevated and that she was showing early signs of preeclampsia. She was advised to reduce her workload and cut salt from her diet. At 30wks, her blood pressure became dangerously high, and she was admitted to the hospital. There, she received steroid injections to prepare her baby’s lungs for early delivery and was given magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures.

Despite already retaining extreme amounts of fluid, she continued receiving IV fluids, causing her body to swell even further. What began as a 130lbs pre-pregnancy weight had risen to 232lbs, largely due to fluid retention. After a week in the hospital, her preeclampsia became severe, and doctors decided to induce labor. She was initially told she would be able to deliver vaginally, but after a full day with no progress and a shift change in doctors, it was determined she was too swollen and would require a C-section.

The following morning, she woke up unable to see. Her blood pressure had spiked so high after delivery that she hemorrhaged in the back of both eyes. Her veins collapsed, requiring a PICC line placement. She could not lie flat or breathe, and oxygen alone was not helping. Soon after, she lost consciousness.

She later learned she had been placed on a ventilator and put into a medically induced coma for approximately 48hrs. When she woke in the ICU on a BiPAP machine, it was the first time her body felt relief. A cardiologist diagnosed her with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that can develop during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum and can be life-threatening if left undetected. It was a condition he had never treated before but committed himself to researching in order to help her recover.

Today, Trisa is now considered fully recovered. But despite her recovery, she was told she should never have another child due to the risk of needing a heart transplant.

Visit: https://letstalkppcm.org/share-your-story-1
to share your PPCM story and help raise awareness.

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