The Clot Must Be Fought was founded on September 12, 2012.

Most of you know the goal of The Clot Must Be Fought, but may not know the people behind it. I’d like to introduce a couple of key people, explain why we are doing what we are doing and where it all began.

For starters, everyone involved understands that blood clots are serious, but they are rarely talked about. Not many people know they are the third leading cause of death behind heart disease and cancer, and we are here to change that.

Leslie 

The biggest face behind The Clot Must Be Fought would be me, Leslie Bartley, but I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my sister, friends, and numerous kind strangers willing to help. As of now, I personally know dozens of people struggling with blood clots.When my sister was first diagnosed with blood clots in February 2012, my protective instincts kicked into high gear. Not only was watching my sister walk around with an oxygen tank one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to see, but seeing how much it affected her life broke my heart. Because of this, I launched #meetMegan, and with the help of family, friends, acquaintances, strangers and countless celebrities, I was able to do as much as I could to reach Ellen DeGeneres in hopes of lifting Megan’s spirits. After working myself to the bone, I decided to tell Megan about what I was doing and take a break from trying to get the attention of Ellen.

You can learn more about the efforts of #meetMegan at: http://ellenmeetmegan.weebly.com/

In September 2012, I received a phone call from one of my best friends and I just knew what Ciera was about to tell me. She was facing blood clots just like Megan. Watching my sister go through the hardships of blood clots was heart wrenching enough, to have to watch it again, made me furious. I knew something had to be done. Shortly after Ciera’s emergency, I found out about others close to me that were facing the hardships of blood clots. Going from knowing no one with blood clots, to knowing over a dozen people I am related to, friends with, or have worked with was extremely shocking.

I’d like to think having another person I love and care about in the ICU for blood clots was the universe’s way of saying, “You’re not finished yet.” I guess having more people that were in my daily life diagnosed with blood clots was a sure way to get me to come back to raising awareness. Although I have never suffered from blood clots, I would like to think of myself as an advocate for the people I know, the people that want to share their story, and the people that have lost someone close to them because of blood clots. If one out of every three cases of pulmonary embolism ends in death, I feel extremely lucky that the people I know are still alive. My sister was admitted to the ICU for her second diagnosis of blood clots on November 4, 2012 and third in March 2013. It’s safe to say, I’m back to raise awareness, and I’m in it for the long run. As long as people support The Clot Must Be Fought, we will continue to think of new ways to raise awareness and lend a hand to those facing the hardships of blood clots.

My continued effort in The Clot Must Be Fought and the strive to turn it into a nonprofit organization stems from the discovery that my sister had more clots on March 15, 2013. This information meant more than half of her lung function is gone.

The more people I meet and the more stories I hear through this campaign, the more I am absolutely sure that I want to make difference.

Amanda 

Amanda is not only a huge part of the creative piece of The Clot Must Be Fought she has been one of my best friends for 10 years. Her best friend is Ciera, obviously connecting her to the emergency we faced in September 2012 and continue to face with Ciera as she endures the struggles of blood clots. Not only was Amanda there to help with #meetMegan, she jumped at the opportunity to launch a campaign after we heard what happened to Ciera.

Amanda and I work extremely well together, and our passion for this campaign has only made us stronger. We bounce ideas off each other, brainstorm new ways to creatively raise awareness, and work hard to do everything we can to get the attention of others. Although we are both college students or soon-to-be grads, we are constantly working on The Clot Must Be Fought. As we watch it grow, we couldn’t be more thankful to those who are supporting us.

Megan

As my younger sister, and strongest person I know, I have to give credit where credit is due. Megan has had quite the struggle with blood clots, but has never complained. She is a constant reminder of how important the awareness of blood clots really is. She has shown an unbelievable amount of strength as she continues to face this hardship. When she was told that is was okay for her to be mad, and to feel like this wasn’t fair, she simply said, “It’s not fair for anyone to be sick.” I am in complete awe of her.

As I continue to try and raise awareness about blood clots, she has been my number one supporter. Her involvement in raising awareness has never been about what she’s been through, it’s always been about the effort I put into the cause. I am so happy that my sister is by my side, and has joined the fight against blood clots.

Ciera

As one of my best friends and another survivor of blood clots, I have to mention my dear friend Ciera. Ciera was a huge supporter of #meetMegan after my sister was first admitted to the ICU so when she called me from the hospital on September 12, 2012, I was shocked.

Ciera is one of the most intelligent young women I know, and she endured everything that came with blood clots with grace. She is a symbol of poise and how to best look at the curve balls we are thrown in life. She is another constant reminder of how important this cause has become to me.

There are many more people behind the growth of The Clot Must Be Fought, and there will continue to be more additions as we progress, but for now, I hope this gives you a little taste of who we are.

Thank you for your support in our effort to raise awareness! The Clot Must Be Fought is fighting blood clots with awareness, creativity and a group of people who have fought for their lives, now The Clot Must Be Fought will fight for them.