LetsTalk PPCM, Grand Prairie, TX (2026)

03/13/2026

The voices of our heart sisters matter deeply. 🫀

Lived experiences from women who have faced Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) help bring awareness, education, and real insight into what many mothers experience during pregnancy and postpartum, especially when heart symptoms are misunderstood or misdiagnosed.

We’re grateful to share that one of our heart sisters, Shaniqua Spencer, participated in a community impact initiative with researchers from the Maternal and Reproductive Health Equity Lab at the University of Texas at Arlington. Their work focuses on improving maternal health outcomes and amplifying BIPOC community voices.

By sharing her story and lived experience with PPCM, she helped bring perspective to conversations surrounding maternal heart health and the realities many mothers quietly face.

Survivor voices matter.
Patient experiences matter.
Heart sisters supporting heart sisters matters.

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

03/10/2026

❤️ Research Spotlight | Maternal Heart Health

BNP and NT-proBNP blood tests are key biomarkers for detecting heart stress and heart failure, even before severe symptoms appear.

Researchers at leading institutions, including Mayo Clinic, Texas Heart Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, and UT Southwestern Medical Center, have helped advance our understanding of how these biomarkers can identify heart dysfunction early, including in women at risk for Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Why this matters for PPCM:
PPCM is a form of heart failure that occurs during the last month of pregnancy or in the months after delivery. Symptoms like fatigue, swelling, or shortness of breath can mimic normal postpartum changes, which often leads to delayed or missed diagnoses.

🧪 BNP blood testing may help:

•Detect heart failure earlier

•Support faster diagnosis in emergency or postpartum settings

•Identify women who need further heart imaging, such as an echocardiogram

•Improve monitoring and treatment decisions

Ongoing research continues to shape how doctors recognize heart problems sooner and more accurately. For women at risk of PPCM, early BNP testing can be life-saving.

Together, advocacy and research can help ensure more mothers receive the timely care they deserve.

Learn more about the pregnancy induced heart condition: LetsTalkPPCM.org

Support Link:
HeartMomPPCM.com – Partner Resource

03/08/2026

Meet Dr. Ineska Freire Marulanda:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe she was in full-blown heart failure?

Residing in Florida, Dr. Marulanda is a physician and mother of two who never imagined that childbirth would lead to a serious cardiac emergency. Late in pregnancy, she began experiencing extreme fatigue and significant swelling. These symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as normal pregnancy changes, something many mothers are told when their bodies begin showing warning signs.

Three days after delivering her baby by C-section, her condition suddenly worsened. She felt as though her lungs were filling with fluid and struggled to breathe. At home, her mother, a former ER and ICU nurse, recognized the seriousness of the situation and administered diuretics.

When she arrived at the hospital, her symptoms were again minimized. Despite several negative COVID tests, the medical focus remained on COVID-related illness rather than investigating her heart. For two days, fear and uncertainty grew while the true cause remained undiscovered. An echocardiogram was eventually performed and revealed the source of her symptoms: her heart was severely enlarged and functioning at less than 30% ejection fraction.

Shortly after childbirth, she was 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. Her treatment required immediate lifestyle changes. She had to stop breastfeeding to begin life-saving medications and wore a LifeVest defibrillator for several months while doctors monitored her heart function.

Genetic testing revealed a DSP gene mutation, which is linked to cardiomyopathy. The mutation was also identified in her mother and her daughter. In January 2025, she received an implantable defibrillator as part of her ongoing care.

Today, Dr. Marulanda is still on her road to recovery. She now raises awareness through her bilingual platforms (Spanish) and .EN (English), as well as her website www.esperanzabeats.com, she works to expand education about maternal heart health, especially in Spanish-speaking communities.

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

03/06/2026

Many women who develop Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) were previously healthy, active, and had no known heart problems before pregnancy.

Some mothers report being told their symptoms were due to weight, stress, anxiety, or normal postpartum recovery. While those things can certainly affect how someone feels, they do not rule out a heart condition.

PPCM can affect women of many body types, lifestyles, and backgrounds, including moms who eat well, exercise regularly, and had healthy pregnancies.

Because symptoms like fatigue, swelling, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations can overlap with common postpartum experiences, it’s important that persistent or worsening symptoms are taken seriously and evaluated by a healthcare professional.

Tip for moms:
If something feels off after pregnancy, consider asking about heart testing or requesting a referral to a cardiologist for further evaluation. Seeking another opinion is okay when you feel something isn’t right.

Tips for Birth Workers:
• Take note if a mother says her breathing feels worse than expected or she can’t catch her breath while resting.

• Pay attention to sudden changes in swelling, especially in the legs, feet, or face.

• Encourage mothers to contact their healthcare provider to request a BNP blood test and cardiac referral

• Trust the mother’s instincts, many women say they knew something felt different before their diagnosis.

Because early detection saves lives. ❤️‍🩹

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

03/04/2026

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

Residing in Scotland, United Kingdom, Rhubekka was preparing to welcome twin boys while raising a toddler at home. Her pregnancy was physically demanding, marked by pelvic girdle pain, sciatica, persistent sickness, and increasing breathlessness, symptoms often attributed to carrying multiples. As exhaustion intensified, she stopped working early and focused on making it to delivery.

Her twins were born via planned C-section in a calm and controlled setting. The first few days postpartum appeared routine, surgical recovery, limited sleep, adjusting to newborn care. By day five, discharge home felt within reach. However, she developed a deep, persistent back pain and found she could not lie flat comfortably. Initial evaluation, including an ECG, did not raise immediate concern. She was discharged home.

That night, her symptoms worsened and by morning, she was advised to return to the hospital with concerns for a possible pulmonary embolism. Anticoagulant injections were started, and imaging was performed, but the scans came back clear. An echocardiogram was then ordered, to look at the function of the heart.

Within 10 days after delivering her twins, she was diagnosed with Postpartum 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, Rhubekka is still on her road to recovery. This has included ongoing cardiac monitoring, echocardiograms, MRIs, medication adjustments, and genetic testing. She believes that early BNP testing and echocardiograms at the first signs of symptoms could prevent stories like hers.

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

03/03/2026

❤️‍🩹 Calling 20 Women Who Have Experienced PPCM -Your Voice Is Needed

Have you been diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) during or after pregnancy?

We are currently seeking 20 women from minority communities to participate in a research study focused on improving maternal heart care experiences.

Your story can help shape better care for future mothers navigating PPCM.

✨ What’s involved?
• A brief online survey (5–10 minutes)
• One confidential interview (about 60 minutes)
• Virtual (Zoom) or in-person

🎁 As a thank you, participants will receive a free awareness gift from our PPCM awareness collection.

Your voice and experience will directly contribute to improving understanding and care for underrepresented mothers.

You may qualify if you:
✔ Are 18 years or older
✔ Were diagnosed with PPCM by a healthcare provider
✔ Speak and understand English

Research conducted through Grand Canyon University.

📩 Questions? Email: barmstead@my.gcu.edu
📞 Call/Text: 972-841-5056
🫀Researcher, Bridgette Armstead

Spots are limited to 20 participants. If this sounds like you, we would be honored to hear your story.

Please share with anyone who may qualify.

02/24/2026

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

Residing in New Jersey, Carrie was healthy, active, and fit before her pregnancy. Just one month prior to conceiving, she had established care with a cardiologist due to her father’s history of early heart failure. Every baseline test came back perfect. There were no warning signs, nothing to suggest what was about to unfold.

Throughout pregnancy, extreme and ongoing stress took its toll. During the final trimester, new symptoms began to surface: chest pain, severe swelling in the legs and feet, and shortness of breath so intense she could barely speak without gasping for air. Alarmed, she sought care multiple times, visiting both the ER and Labor & Delivery. Each visit focused on checking the baby’s heartbeat. Each time, she was sent home.

About 3wks before her due date, blood pressure began rising at weekly OB appointments. Doctors decided to induce labor. What followed was nearly two days of labor, much of it unmedicated due to a failed epidural. When the urge to push finally came, everything changed. Her lungs began filling with fluid, and she struggled desperately to breathe. When she asked the nurses if this was normal, she was told no.

An emergency C-section was called as oxygen levels dropped into the low 70s. During and after surgery, doctors rushed in and out, ordering scans and running tests while she felt the life draining from her body. At just 24 years old, she truly felt something bad was happening. She was transferred to the ICU, and separated from her newborn daughter.

She was later 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, she is considered fully recovered. She strongly believes that early BNP testing and echocardiograms at the first signs of symptoms could prevent stories like hers from becoming near-fatal tragedies.

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

02/21/2026

❤️ Heart Month + PPCM Awareness

February is Heart Month, and while we focus on adult heart health, it’s also a perfect time to help create the next generation of heart aware kids.

Postpartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) affects moms, often silently, but awareness starts early. Teaching children about the heart builds empathy, understanding, and life-long health awareness.

📊 What we’re still seeing in 2026

• Symptoms often start late pregnancy through 6 months postpartum
• Shortness of breath, swelling, chest pressure, persistent cough ≠ normal postpartum
• Black women and women with pregnancy complications remain at higher risk
• Simple tools like symptom screening + BNP blood tests can help flag risk early

⚠️ Why it Matters
Teaching kids about the heart, both physically and emotionally, helps shape a generation that:
• Recognizes signs of heart struggles
• Understands empathy for people with heart conditions
• Values heart health from the start

📚 Support Kids in Awareness
Your support helps us provide free children’s books for PPCM and heart health awareness to families, hospitals, and communities.

🔗 https://letstalkppcm.org/children-books

02/16/2026

Meet Renee and Ellie:
By looking at the photo above, could you believe they were in full-blown heart failure?

Renee lived in Tennessee and gave birth to her daughter on October 12, 1994. The following day, everything changed. She coded twice, and her family was suddenly facing the unthinkable. Doctors worked urgently to save her life while her parents watched, unsure whether they would lose their daughter only one day after she became a mother.

Over the years that followed, she lived as a young mother while quietly battling a failing heart. Her family was told she might not survive her first year, yet she went on to live eight more years. When she passed away at just 28 years old, her parents then stepped into another role, raising her eight-year-old child as their own. Her mother made sure to gather and preserve every medical record, sensing they might one day be important.

Years later, those records became heartbreakingly relevant. The baby girl in the photo grew up, started a family of her own, and became pregnant with her second child in 2022. She had not experienced complications with her first pregnancy, but this time something felt wrong. Months before her baby boy was born, she began having symptoms and sought medical care repeatedly. She made multiple visits to the emergency room and to her primary care physician, reporting shortness of breath and swelling. Each time, she was dismissed.

She knew her family history. She recognized the symptoms. Still, she was told it was asthma. She was told it was smoking. No one listened. When her baby was nearly five months old, she returned to the emergency room and refused to leave until doctors found the cause. By then, her heart was already failing. Three years after her diagnosis, she told her family she felt unwell.

Both passing away from the same condition, Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM), a form of dilated cardiomyopathy that can strike during pregnancy or in the first year postpartum, often with life-threatening consequences if left undetected.

Today, Renee and Ellie's family now hopes to pursue genetic testing to protect the next generation. They strongly believe the BNP blood test should be standard for at-risk pregnant and postpartum mothers to help detect PPCM sooner.❤️‍🩹

Grab a bracelet to help save mom's at risk:
HeartMomPPCM.com

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

02/14/2026

Thank you Saint Luke's Health System, for helping us increase awareness for this dreadful condition. Learn more: https://letstalkppcm.org 💝

02/12/2026

Heart disease is the leading cause of maternal death in the U.S. ❤️‍🩹

Some mothers, especially those in historically underserved communities, face higher risks due to delayed diagnosis, bias, and unequal access to care.

Every mother deserves to be heard.
Every symptom deserves to be taken seriously.
Equitable care saves lives.

We routinely screen pregnant women for:

•Gestational diabetes

•Anemia

•Group B strep

•Blood pressure issues

But we don't routinely perform deeper cardiovascular risk screening unless someone is already labeled “high risk.”

That means many women, especially BIPOC, enter pregnancy with:

•Undiagnosed hypertension

•Early-stage heart dysfunction

•Prior viral heart damage

•Obesity-related cardiac strain

•Autoimmune or inflammatory conditions

•A family history of heart disease

… and no one looks closely unless something dramatic happens.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Pregnancy places enormous stress on the heart:

•Blood volume increases up to 50%

•Cardiac output increases

•Fluid shifts rapidly after delivery

•Hormonal changes affect vascular tone

If there is underlying cardiac vulnerability, pregnancy can be the “stress test” that exposes it, sometimes too late.

THE GAP

There is no universal:

•Baseline echocardiogram

•BNP screening

•Structured cardiovascular risk scoring for all pregnant patients

•Standard extended postpartum cardiac follow-up

•Instead, care is often reactive, not preventative.

When you combine under-screening with delayed response, outcomes worsen.

WHAT COULD BE DONE:

✔️ Early cardiovascular risk assessment at first prenatal visit

✔️ Clear referral pathways to cardiology

✔️ Postpartum monitoring beyond 6 weeks

✔️ Automatic follow-up for anyone with preeclampsia or hypertensive disorders

✔️ Education on cardiac red flags during discharge

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

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