United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I handed out ribbons at the PT office this week and will return on Thursday with a treat for the staff. Met a young tbpi woman gave her Outreach and ribbon.

Wednesday night I gave a speech to the local Woman's club on life with bpi. The effects of this injury on my life and health but more importantly
HOW TO HELP PREVENT THIS INJURY.
I spoke two years ago and felt it was time to speak again and reach the new members of our audience.
Was I glad - immediate results - one of the "girls" has a niece who is diabetic and is now pregnant... I gave her Outreach plus the following sheets I gave to the entire audience. Quick fact sheet - Information for parents of newborns- expectant Parents Risk Factor They were so amazed that they were unaware of my injury until I spoke two years ago. I have been a member of the club for about 13 years funny how we think everyone notices.
I gave silver pins to family & close friends

I will speak on Wednesday to a Parenting Center. I am scheduled to speak right before the Pediatricians speak, this should be a great meeting.

I will visit as many of the Pediatric offices as I can with information.
A friend who works in a library will have fact sheets available for the staff and visitors.

Another friend works in a Nursery School and will have sheets there for the young parents.

Kath

Hi Francine, I gave out a lot of the silver ribbons. I gave some to an ER nurse and to a nuerologist at our local hospital. I wrote a letter to the editor and it was printed in our local newspaper today. I live in Southern New Jersey and when I talk about BPI's, the response is always "What's that?". I even heard that from the ER nurse. That's what lead me to give her a pin and a little card explaining BPI's. Hopefully, someday soon, everybody will know about this. Rhoda

We have had the "Awareness Press Release" published in our local paper as well as sending it to (thanks for the website Francine) all the other WV online newspapers. We will hand out awareness articles to the daycare providers where katie attends as well as the therapists at the two largest local hospitals. And I am working on a summary to the Medical Affairs Director requesting that a study be done (by her) to set up a "trigger" that would help to identify shoulder dystocia risk factors and change the rules that would require a physician NOT a midwife or resident deliver the baby in those cases. Also I am asking her to look over our awareness articles, articles from the various BPI specialists regarding protocols for assessments and treatment of a newborn that was injured. Whew! I hope she likes it and goes for it. My hope that she accepts and implements is that not only will this possibly prevent future injuries (or even the severity of) but I feel she should go for it because it will lower the risk factor for the hospital from suits that this injury may result in. Pray it goes over well and if so then I will contact the other hospitals as well!

I love the hand cookie thing! I think I will "borrow" that for Juliana's class.
I give my first talk to the "mommy and me" classes at the JCC (where Juliana goes to school).
I will also be giving the teachers the fact sheet to put in the kids's bags.
Interestingly, of the 15 kids in the class, there are only 3 moms who have older kids. All of the other moms are first timers-some have had number 2, many haven't.
claudia

Article in the local paper, daughter is getting with the student council and will be passing out info sheets and ribbons, putting up posters, of course they are only teens and are not of child bearing age yet BUT they will be someday and also they will go home and share the info with the parents. I thought about going to the lamaze and childbirth classes and passing out info there too.
Paula

I got exciting news at work today...a very good customer, a friend more that an aquaintance caught me at work today to see if I had any information on BPI....she has a sister and uncle that are ob/gyn's and she is an attorney and so is her brother....I said yes and she wants the information from me....she loves my son.....I explained to her about awareness week and she wants me to make her some ribbons so that they can all wear their ribbons for my little one and pass out awareness packets....even at the OB/GYN office....now that is an OB/GYN that is willing to explain the risks to their patients before hand.....a simple fact....this woman had a shoulder dystocia baby before her sister became an OB so they feel very close to this tragedy(NO BPI though, broken Clavicle.) I think it is so cool that they will do this for me !!!

Iäm going to do some posters in Finnish and put them to the message board of our local child care center. I have also put the poster and a Finnish media release in web so that people in Finland can print them out and spread awareness!

Krista from Finland

I am sending out emails to family and friends to let them know about our site. I don't talk to much about my injury so I must admit even something that small has made me nervous. Last year I did not do anything, outwardly anyway. I said that this year I would do something. So maybe next year I will venture to people I don't know!

Joy

Joy - there is no such thing as a SMALL thing when it comes to awareness...everything counts in a BIG way!

big hugs,
francine