A traveling art exhibit to raise public awareness of the common pregnancy disorder PREECLAMPSIA by remembering the many thousands of babies lost each year to the effects of this condition.
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Field of Cradles will be exhibited in conjunction with a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia and a performance by Amy Robbins-Wilson (www.angelbabylullabies.com) on July 24, 2011 on Castle Island, South Boston, MA.
Read more about the walk or sign up
Read here an article written about the exhibit
'Lullaby and Goodnight - A Bedtime Concert of story and Lullabies for Children and Families' featuring Amy Robbins-Wilson will be at the Wellfleet Preservation Hall on Friday, July 22, 2011 from 6 - 7:30pm. For more information, view the concert poster.
About Field of Cradles
Many of us have heard the word preeclampsia, but not everyone – even some expecting mothers – knows what it is. Yet, one in 12 pregnancies are affected by this life-threatening disorder for mother and baby. Any woman, regardless of age, race and even general health, can suffer from it. Worldwide preeclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and neonatal death. Because all pregnancies are at risk, the best defense against the worst outcomes is to ensure that all women understand and appropriately respond to the warning signs of preeclampsia.
This public art exhibit aims to increase public awareness of PREECLAMPSIA and its signs and symptoms by honoring and remembering the lives of the many thousands of babies lost each year to this condition.
23 families from throughout the USA have shared words about their babies and experiences with writer Susannah Pabot, herself a survivor of preeclampsia. Together with the families, Susannah created poetic messages that are displayed inside empty cradles on baby blankets. Side by side, these messages tell a story of the devastation left in the wake of preeclampsia, but also remind us that each tiny life lost was that of a little person who was here, who was loved, whose life mattered and always will.
The baby blankets were individually designed and knitted by Alyssa Fu and Eliza Squibb in colors the mothers associate with their babies. The cradles are designed by Rebecca Lee and produced with the generous assistance of Bud Saggal of Precision Laser Inc, Pawtucket, RI.
The exhibition's sound environment, which includes recordings of the poetic messages to the babies as well as three lullabies written for the exhibit by singer Amy Robbins-Wilson (www.angelbabylullabies.com), was composed by Ling Zhou. Members of the Brown and Providence communities read and provided voiceovers for the recorded texts.
"I Gave You Words / Field of Cradles" was made possible in part by Brown University's Creative Arts Council.
About Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only in pregnancy and the postpartum period. It is characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Worldwide, preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death, claiming the lives of an estimated 76,000 women and 500,000 babies each year; while in the U.S., mortality related to preeclampsia is predominately linked to the effects of the condition on the baby. There is at present no known prevention or cure, except for the delivery of the baby, often much too early in the pregnancy.
Although there is no cure, knowing the warning signs of preeclampsia can lead to more timely diagnosis and better outcomes. Despite this fact, almost half of all pregnant women do not currently receive information about preeclampsia during their pregnancies.
For more information about preeclampsia, its signs and symptoms and for support please visit the Preeclampsia Foundation: (www.preeclampsia.org)
If you are pregnant and think you may be experiencing preeclampsia, please seek medical advice immediately.
- Hypertension (elevated blood pressure)
- Proteinuria (elevated levels of protein in urine)
- Swelling (edema)
- Sudden Weight Gain
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Lower Back Pain
- Abdominal and Shoulder Pain
- Headache
- Changes in Vision
- Hyperflexia (overactive or overresponsive reflexes)
- Racing Pulse
- Mental Confusion
- Shortness of Breath
Videos of the I Gave You Words/Field of Cradles Exhibit
The exhibit at Brown University
The exhibit at RISD
The lullabies featured in these videos were written for the exhibit by Amy Robbins-Wilson (www.angelbabylullabies.com) and are played here with much gratitude.
Donate
Please support the fight and help save the lives of mothers and their unborn babies by making a tax-deductible contribution in the name of this exhibit (CRADLE EXHIBIT) to the Preeclampsia Foundation to be used toward essential research efforts into finding an effective treatment and cure.
Checks should be made payable to Preeclampsia Foundation and should be sent to:
Preeclampsia Foundation 6767 N Wickham Road, Suite 400 Melbourne, FL 32940Donations can also be made online at: www.preeclampsia.org
Your gift is very much appreciated and fully deductible as a 501(c)(3) charitable contribution. The Preeclampsia Foundation's federal tax id # is 91-2073087.
With your help, the hope for a cure grows stronger.