A HAFLA held in the county recently raised hundreds for Evesham charity Action On Pre-Eclampsia.

The hafla, where dancers come together to showcase their belly dancing to friends and family, was recently held at the Rocklands Social Club in Redditch and it raised an impressive £800.

The charity funds vital research into the pre-eclampsia, the most common of the serious complications of pregnancy, caused by a defect in the placenta, which joins the mother and baby and supplies the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother’s blood.

Emma Wheate-Price, the organiser, said: "I chose this charity because I became unwell with early signs of pre-eclampsia at 26 weeks pregnant with twins.

"I spent a total of six weeks in hospital at Liverpool, Gloucester, the Alex and finally at Worcestershire Royal where my twin boys were delivered at 30 weeks weighing only 2lb 9 and 3lb 5.

"I then preceded to suffer eclamptic seizures and ended up in intensive care, as well as the boys being rushed to the neonatal unit.

"My boys spent a total of 50 days in hospital before being allowed home. So much is still unknown about this condition and the scary statistic is that a pregnant woman dies every six minutes in the world from pre-eclampsia. I therefore wanted to support the work that Action on Pre-Eclampsia do to fund vital research whilst also offering support and advice for pregnant women. The night was enjoyed by all, and to date I have raised over £16,000 for local charities through my belly dance events."

For more on the charity visit https://action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk/

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