112 | Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project (DSMAP) - Shared by Bianca Pryor
This is a story about loss - In memory of Dr. Shalon Irving
Bianca Pryor felt led to start sharing her personal birth experience and how it interweaves with the birth story and untimely passing of her best friend, Dr. Shalon Irving. Dr. Irving's passing made headlines in 2017 after she suffered from postpartum preeclampsia and did not receive proper medical attention when she addressed her concerns. Her story stood out as Dr. Irving was a lieutenant commander in the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service. She had been working to expose poor health outcomes as a result of limited health options.
Bianca and Dr. Shalon were best friends. They discovered they were expecting around the same time and committed to "doing pregnancy" together. It was an exciting time in their lives after they both had experienced sibling losses. They were able to see and feel the positive energy around them. Bianca reflected on the newness of how much information we now have about the experiences of Black women in birthing spaces. Today, it has been reported so much more, but they were not prepared for what lay ahead for them.
Dr. Shalon and Bianca during their pregnancies - photo courtesy of Bianca Pryor
Dr. Shalon was due before Bianca, but it would be Bianca who welcomed her baby first due to showing signs of premature labor for a week and spotting after a week of labor symptoms that her providers dismissed. Dr. Shalon encouraged her to go to the hospital, and thankfully so as they discovered that her son's feet were "hanging out." Twenty-four weeks into her pregnancy, Bianca would deliver her son, and Shalon would not be present for her as she was preparing for her birth. Bianca and her son's recovery and healing process required all of her attention, but she managed to check in with Dr. Shalon as she was preparing for her birth.
Soleil on the left (Dr. Shalon’s daughter) and Everton (Bianca's son) on the right - photo courtesy of Bianca
Dr. Shalon would give birth via scheduled surgical birth to Soleil in January 2017 with no complications during the delivery. The best friends bonded in the newness of motherhood and leaned into each other for support. Three weeks postpartum for Dr. Shalon, they texted briefly while Bianca was still in the NICU. Later that day, she received another text stating that her friend was in the hospital because she had stopped breathing. Dr. Shalon had shared that her legs were still swollen, and she had low energy. She had also been receiving wound care at home as she was having challenges with her incision healing properly. She was a fierce advocate for her health but was pushed off by her medical providers. Dr. Shalon Irving passed away shortly after - her friends and family vigilant on her behalf.
The Believe Her App and Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project are projects birthed by Bianca and Dr. Shalon's mother, Wanda Irving, as a form of activism and memorializes Dr. Shalon's life and her legacy. Believe Her is an anonymous, maternal, peer-to-peer app created to fight extraordinarily high black maternal mortality rates and save lives. Dr. Shalon's Maternal Action Project works to remove barriers, biases, and disparate practices that impede access to equitable, quality care for Black women and women of color. Their work is based on the life philosophy of Dr. Shalon:
"I see inequity wherever it exists. I am not afraid to call it by name and work hard to eliminate it. I vow to create a better earth."
Resources:
Believe Her App | anonymous peer support app to increase awareness of the Black maternal health crisis while improvising health outcomes
Dr. Shalon’s Maternal Action Project | works to remove barriers, biases, and disparate practices that impede access to equitable, quality care for Black women and women of color
4Kira4Moms | advocacy, education, and peer support to the victims family and friends, promoting the idea that maternal mortality should be viewed, and discussed as a human rights issue
Tatia Oden French Memorial Foundation | foundation website with resources, videos, articles and more information on their work
Irth App | "Yelp-like" review & rating app for hospitals & physicians made by and for Black women & birthing people of color
Mahmee | HIPAA-secure care management platform that connects, payers, providers, and patients to coordinate comprehensive prenatal and postpartum healthcare from anywhere
Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2021 | builds on existing legislation to comprehensively address every dimension of the maternal health crisis in America
Sponsors:
Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) | reproductive justice organization
ROOTT is a collective of concerned Black families, community members, advocates & interdisciplinary professionals dedicated to decreasing Black maternal & infant mortality in Ohio. ROOTT’s mission is to comprehensively restore our collective well-being through collaboration, resource allocation, research & re-empowerment, in order to meet the needs of Black parents & families. If you and your family are planning, pregnant, or in your postpartum period, please reach out to ROOTT at www.roottrj.org. Financial assistance is available. You can also connect with ROOTT at 614-398-1766 or email general-info@roottrj.org