Kadre “KK” Dixon was a healthy and athletic young woman who was having the model pregnancy.  She and Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant were looking forward to welcoming their daughter – until KK’s health suddenly began to take a turn. Around her 31st week of pregnancy, KK developed preeclampsia, suffered convulsive seizures, underwent emergency delivery, and almost died from a condition she had never heard of.

In honor of their daughter Kaari’s first birthday and the anniversary of KK’s traumatic birth experience, she is telling their story with one intent – to educate other women. KK especially wants young black women to know the signs and symptoms of preeclampsia.

To support this awareness initiative, KK is launching her “I wish I knew” campaign. KK, Ja and baby Kaari will be the honorary chairs for the national Promise Walk for Preeclampsia™, the Preeclampsia Foundation’s signature fundraiser, which will be held virtually on Saturday, August 29, celebrating the Foundation’s 20th anniversary.  KK is forming her own Promise Walk team and encouraging everyone to either form a team or join her team as they raise funds for the Preeclampsia Foundation, the nation’s only non-profit patient advocacy organization dedicated to education and awareness, improving healthcare practices, and catalyzing research around preeclampsia to find a cause and a cure.

With the support of the Foundation and in honor of Kaari’s first birthday on August 7, KK is sharing all that she wishes she had known about preeclampsia and the warnings she wants other women to heed. Read KK’s love Letter to Kaari and her complete story.

“I am not trying to frighten anyone. I believe knowledge is power. I want to empower you with the information you need to have the best possible outcome for you and your baby,” KK urged.

Join the family’s team JustDoIt4Kaari, or form your own, to win prizes and participate in the walk from wherever you are on Saturday, August 29.

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About Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia, a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, affects about 1 in every 12 pregnancies in the United States. It is a leading cause of premature birth and maternal and infant death, taking the lives of 70,000 women and 500,000 babies worldwide each year. In the U.S., black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to have a poor outcome than white women.  It occurs sometime after the twentieth week of pregnancy and can occur up to six weeks postpartum. Many of the signs and symptoms, like swelling, headache and rapid weight gain, can be mistaken for normal discomforts of pregnancy.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation

The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000 to improve the outcomes of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy by educating, supporting, and engaging the community, improving healthcare practices, and finding a cure. We envision a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies. For more information, visit www.preeclampsia.org.