LetsTalk PPCM

08/19/2025

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

Residing in North Carolina, Alexis welcomed her baby girl on June 22, 2024, at 37 weeks. Throughout her pregnancy, she experienced blood pressure issues and pitting edema, but these symptoms were dismissed as “normal.” Despite being under the care of maternal-fetal medicine from the beginning, nothing unusual was detected.She developed preeclampsia and required high doses of magnesium during labor, leading to an emergency C-section.

The magnesium caused baby to struggle after birth, resulting in a week-long stay in the NICU. After being discharged, she developed a severe, nearly septic infection at her C-section incision site, requiring a second hospital stay. Soon after returning home, she began experiencing extreme shortness of breath, noisy breathing, and severe pain.Her husband called 911, and paramedics found her oxygen level at 88%.

Even on the highest oxygen support available, she continued to struggle to breathe. Just days later, she couldn’t walk more than two steps without gasping for air. She was moved to the ICU after testing, where cardiology determined her heart functioning at only 18%ef. She was diagnosed with Postpartum 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, Alexis is fully recovered physically, but still healing from PTSD and depression caused by the trauma and spending nearly a month away from her baby. She feels the Blood Test should be mandated for all expecting and postpartum mothers at risk, to sooner detect PPCM. ❤️‍🩹

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

Support BNP Blood Testing: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

08/15/2025

Waiting for our own copy, like!!!🏝️🍿😍

From Hospital Bed to Magazine Cover! 🌟

This week marks Lisa Schwartz’s Heartiversary, a powerful reminder of how far she’s come since her PPCM diagnosis. From fighting for her life in a hospital bed to gracing the cover of our brand new LetsTalkPPCM Magazine, Lisa’s journey is one of courage, faith, and love.

Lisa is not only a PPCM survivor, but also an author, actress, and passionate advocate for raising awareness about this life-changing condition. She’s not just surviving, she’s thriving as a devoted mom, loving wife, and fierce advocate, using her voice to help other women recognize the signs of PPCM and get the care they deserve.

📰 About the Magazine:
Every 5 months, we’ll be releasing a brand-new issue filled with powerful survivor stories, educational resources, and ways you can help spread PPCM awareness.

✨ This first issue sets the tone for what’s to come — heartfelt stories, real experiences, and hope for the future. Thank you, Lisa, our heart sister, for leading the way with courage and grace.

📖 Get your copy and join the movement → https://letstalkppcm.org/lisa-schwartz

08/15/2025

❤️💐❤️

-Because Early Detection Can SAVE Lives-

08/14/2025

From Hospital Bed to Magazine Cover! 🌟

This week marks Lisa Schwartz’s Heartiversary, a powerful reminder of how far she’s come since her PPCM diagnosis. From fighting for her life in a hospital bed to gracing the cover of our brand new LetsTalkPPCM Magazine, Lisa’s journey is one of courage, faith, and love.

Lisa is not only a PPCM survivor, but also an author, actress, and passionate advocate for raising awareness about this life-changing condition. She’s not just surviving, she’s thriving as a devoted mom, loving wife, and fierce advocate, using her voice to help other women recognize the signs of PPCM and get the care they deserve.

📰 About the Magazine:
Every 5 months, we’ll be releasing a brand-new issue filled with powerful survivor stories, educational resources, and ways you can help spread PPCM awareness.

✨ This first issue sets the tone for what’s to come — heartfelt stories, real experiences, and hope for the future. Thank you, Lisa, our heart sister, for leading the way with courage and grace.

📖 Get your copy and join the movement → https://letstalkppcm.org/lisa-schwartz

08/09/2025

Introducing the Hope & Healing Support Fund ❤️‍🩹

We understand and have lived the silent struggles many PPCM survivors face after giving birth, not just physically, but emotionally and financially.

That’s why we’ve launched the Hope & Healing Support Fund, created by survivors, for survivors. This fund will provide emergency help with food, medication, child care, and more, offering up to $250 per mom when active.

🎯 Our first goal is $2,500.
Until we reach that amount, no names will be selected, but the sooner we meet it, the sooner we can start helping heart moms in need.

✨ If you’re reading this and you have a heart to give, we’re asking you to donate at least $1 today.

Every dollar matters. Every act of love adds up.

🫶 How you can help:
✔️ Donate what you can
✔️ Share this post
✔️ Invite one person to give
✔️ Be part of a mom’s healing heart

Together, we’re building more than a fund, we’re building hope. 💞

👉 Donate or learn more: https://f02e9160-7e00-4439-a393-fa11a9bed7a7.paylinks.godaddy.com/support-funds

08/07/2025

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

On October 12, 1992, Jean gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Two days later, as she prepared for discharge, she began experiencing shortness of breath. Despite voicing her concerns, she was initially told it was likely due to ‘new mom nerves’. Her symptoms persisted, prompting a doctor to order an arterial blood test. Soon after, she was informed that she would not be going home.

Within hours, she was placed on a ventilator and diagnosed with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. During the eight days she spent on the ventilator, an echocardiogram revealed an enlarged left ventricle and an ejection fraction of only 20%. After being removed from the ventilator, she remained hospitalized and was finally discharged four weeks after giving birth.

Two months later, a cardiologist officially diagnosed her with Postpartum 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. She was given proper treatment and released home with medications.

Back then, awareness for PPCM was virtually nonexistent, and few providers were trained to recognize the early signs of heart failure in postpartum women.

Today, Jean's heart has stabilized and is now considered fully recovered. She feels the Blood Test should be mandated for all expecting and postpartum mothers at risk, to sooner detect PPCM.❤️

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

PPCM Workshops: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-workshops

Research Study: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-research

PPCM Children Books: https://letstalkppcm.org/children-books

Support BNP Blood Testing: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

08/05/2025

🚨 You Can Now Get Genetically RETESTED for FREE!

Our partners at Genetic Cardiomyopathy Awareness, are now working with a top genetic testing company to provide FREE genetic retesting for PPCM & all cardiomyopathy patients!

But before you test—📌 Important:

If you don’t already have life insurance, it’s strongly recommended to apply and get approved before undergoing genetic testing.

In some cases, a positive genetic result, even without symptoms, can affect your ability to qualify for life insurance in the future. Secure your policy first to protect your family financially.

Why get retested?
✅ Updated results using the latest science
✅ More accurate and comprehensive than earlier testing
✅ Crucial insights for your care team
✅ May help protect your family’s heart health

➡️ Learn more and get started here:
https://geneticcardiomyopathy.org/testing/get-tested

💡We’re also working to make FREE BNP blood testing available, which helps detect early signs of heart strain or failure, including Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM).

Stay tuned as we learn how to expand access to this vital tool too! https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

Let’s stay ahead of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy—for ourselves and our families. 💓

08/04/2025

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is an often misdiagnosed form of heart failure that occurs during pregnancy or up to twelve months postpartum. What makes PPCM so devastating is that a woman’s heart; her literal life source, is weakened just as she brings a new life into the world.

So when you say, “Does a mom basically give up her heart for her baby with PPCM?”

Emotionally and physically, many survivors feel exactly that:

•She sacrifices her strength and health to carry and give life.

•She may go from being active and full of energy to suddenly fighting to breathe, walk, or survive.

•Her heartbeat becomes unstable, but her love for her child remains constant.

•Some moms lose their lives. Others live with heart damage forever. And yet most do it without knowing PPCM was even a risk.

This is why awareness is critical. No woman should unknowingly sacrifice her heart when early testing or monitoring could have saved it.

You're not exaggerating — PPCM survivors often describe it as giving birth and then fighting to stay alive just to raise the baby they risked everything for.

Support BNP Blood Testing: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

07/30/2025

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

In May 2024, around 34wks pregnant, Micah developed Pre-eclampsia and had to give birth to her baby girl sooner than expected. Just two hours after giving birth, she experienced seizure-like symptoms, but was still discharged as follows. A month or two later, she started having micro seizures, fainting spells, a racing heart, and severe swelling. Despite countless ER visits, specialists continued to downplay her concerns, attributing them to typical postpartum stress and sleep deprivation. But she knew something was deeply wrong.

At four months postpartum, she suffered a grand mal seizure and was rushed to the hospital. Within hours, she went into cardiogenic shock, organ failure, and was diagnosed with myocarditis and severe heart failure. Her condition was so critical, she was airlifted to a larger hospital. Doctors told her family to prepare for the worst. She spent 10 days in a coma and nearly a month in the Cardiac ICU. Her BNP was over 4000, and her ejection fraction dropped to just 7%. She was a healthy, 27-year-old new mother, and no one could explain why this was happening.

She still had no diagnosis and continued to suffer side effects from medications while searching for answers. It was only after pushing for genetic testing that cardiomyopathy appeared as a red flag. Even then, it took five months of persistent questioning and self-research for them to make a final diagnosis. When she brought it up to her cardiologist, the response was hesitant but finally revealing: “By process of elimination, it’s probably PPCM.”

She was then diagnosed with 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. She was given proper treatment and released home with medications.

Today, Micah's heart has stabilized, her BNP is back to normal, and her ejection fraction has risen to around 55% (normal). She feels the BNP Blood Test should be mandated for all expecting and postpartum mothers at risk, to sooner detect PPCM.❤️

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

PPCM Workshops: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-workshops

Research Study: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-research

PPCM Children Books: https://letstalkppcm.org/children-books

Support BNP Blood Testing: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening

07/29/2025

❤️‍🩹 Let’s Talk PPCM x The PPCM Registry: One Year Strong

For the past year, Let’s Talk PPCM has proudly partnered with the Peripartum Cardiomyopathy Registry (PPCM-R) to support groundbreaking research and amplify the voices of survivors across the nation.

Now, we're bringing our community exclusive access to a private, live webinar featuring leaders in cardiology and PPCM advocacy:

👩‍⚕️ Dr. Jennifer Lewey – Cardiologist featured on the

👩‍⚕️ Dr. Sarah Thordsen – Visionary cardiologist behind the PPCM Registry

🗣️ Survivors Allie & Haley – Sharing personal stories and the power of data in saving lives

🎥 This webinar is private, but a recorded highlight reel will be shared soon.

💡 You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at how the PPCM Registry is driving new, life-saving data, improving early diagnosis, and giving hope to future moms.

Stay informed, get involved, and help spread awareness by joining our new Membership Program & Awareness Box initiative: https://letstalkppcm.org/memberships

Here’s to a stronger future for heart moms everywhere.

Support BNP Blood Testing: https://letstalkppcm.org/ppcm-screening