My Nonprofit Reviews

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a potentially fatal disorder to unborn babies, and yet it's entirely treatable. Despite the fact that the 15% increased chance of stillbirth can be completely reduced to normal with proper care this deadly disorder during pregnancy is still relatively unheard of and leaves questioning mothers and families isolated, even in a world of books and the internet full of information on nearly anything else. In this desert of help there is an oasis flowing with research, support, education, one on one guidance and international group connections. This beautiful oasis is the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization ICP Care. ICP Care is dedicated to saving every unborn baby from stillbirth to this treatable disorder. Run entirely by a handful of volunteers, including myself, there is help day and night on our Facebook support group for panicking families, depressed moms, moms who have been forced to become their own advocates over night. It is a life saving non-profit, in more ways than one.

After having two ICP pregnancies and realizing how much work still needs to be done it's an honor and a gift to now be able to pay it forward volunteering on behalf of ICP Care and spreading awareness daily. I've personally experienced the amazing strength ICP Care freely gives out to all the mothers and families suffering with this little known disorder. In my first pregnancy I was suffering from the classic symptom of ICP - intense, unexplained itching - but I allowed myself to ignore it. I never told my doctor and so when my body started shutting down and my sweet little baby stopped moving we couldn't understand what was happening, but we knew he was not going to live much longer. I was emergency induced at 36 weeks for "unknown distress". My second pregnancy was shortly after and again this intense itch came back, it was stronger this time. Strong enough to be impossible to ignore. The hospital suggested antihistamines but nothing helped. In a desperate search through pregnancy books and google I finally found ICP Care and everything, absolutely everything, finally made sense. Thanks to all of the information and support from ICP Care I was able to get the life saving medication needed during the pregnancy and my second son was very safely carried to 37 weeks when I was induced again; early delivery is the second piece of proper treatment. I know ICP Care saves lives because I have seen it first hand. I have experienced the love put into every single mother suffering. I've seen the knowledge shared with every single mother scared. I am now one of the volunteers working daily to provide the same love and support to other ICP moms!