Vaughan
September 07, 2007 08:32 PM
You may never have heard of vasa previa, but a Woodbridge resident hopes to change that.
Claudia DiVirgilio has, for the second year, organized a five-kilometre walk, this year on Oct. 7, to raise cash and awareness of the condition.
Ms DiVirgillio’s son, Matthew, died of Vasa Previa in 2005.
Vasa previa is considered rare and affects one in every 2,500 pregnancies. The condition involves the fetal blood vessels that are usually held within the womb travelling freely in the placenta.
When contractions start, those blood vessels can rupture and cause the infant to bleed to death.
Her pregnancy with twin sons Matthew and Steven was smooth, Ms DiVirgilio said. Steven is now just past two years old, but during the birth, on Jan. 12, 2005, she realized something was wrong when she was rushed to a room where an emergency cesarean was performed.
Steven survived, however Matthew was in critical condition. He died that afternoon.
The event is in honour of Matthew and to raise cash for and awareness of vasa previa.
The walk begins at 2 p.m. and takes place at 710 Humberwood Blvd. in Etobicoke. Registration for the event takes place at 1:30 p.m.
For more information or to get pledge forms, go on the Internet to www.ourangelmatthew.com