Preeclampsia is a high blood pressure disorder in pregnancy that affects as many as 500,000 pregnancies in the United States each year. Yet, many people who have not been affected by this potentially fatal disease have never heard of it.
Which is why on Friday, October 24th the Shelly Bridgewater Dreams Foundation is hosting an awareness night. The 2014 Dreams Night Gala will be held at the Coralville Marriott from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. – a night for moms; for families; for the dream.
During the event, there will be a food and beverage tasting featuring several local restaurants, as well as wineries and breweries. There will also be a silent auction to help generate funds to support the foundation. Following the tasting portion of the evening, there will be a short program hosted by Ashley Hinson from KCRG, a live auction, and entertainment by Intersection, UI’s male a cappella group.
The proceeds of the 2014 Dreams Night Gala will benefit the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology to support education, awareness, patient advocacy, and research for women’s health and pregnancy-related diseases.
The Shelly Bridgewater Dreams Foundation was founded by John and Brenda Warner after their daughter, Shelly, died due to complications related to preeclampsia in 2005 – one week after giving birth to her first child, Hailey. Shelly was an elementary school teacher, tennis coach, and by all accounts, the life of the party.
Since their daughter’s death, the Warners have worked tirelessly to increase awareness to prevent other families from experiencing such a devastating loss. After years of raising money for national groups, the Warners decided to do more for the local community. In 2013, they partnered with the University of Iowa Foundation to establish the Shelly Bridgewater Dreams Foundation. This allows funds to remain local, and be used for other maternal complications in addition to preeclampsia.
Please join us on Friday, October 24th at the Coralville Marriott for a fun night that will make a difference and support a mission built for all moms. To register, please visit www.shellydreams.com
