A FEMALE entrepreneur from Abergele is on a mission to end the stigma around ectopic pregnancy - which affects one in 80 women.
Mel Gizzi, 42, from St George has experienced this potentially life-threatening condition twice - including while she was writing about her first ectopic pregnancy for a book of empowering female stories.
But she credits her community and her family with helping her through and inspiring her to keep breaking down barriers. To that end, the owner of StudiOMG wellness hub has, along with hub users, family and friends, raised £4,887 for the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust (EPT).
"I couldn't believe it," said Mel. "I had my first ectopic pregnancy in 2010, but while writing my chapter for a new book, She Empowers, I quickly began to feel ill.
"I thought my appendix had burst as I had abdominal pain but I had a pain in my shoulder too. When I went to the doctor and explained his face changed when I mentioned the pain in the tip of my shoulder.
"Apparently that can be a sign of ectopic pregnancy when it reaches the life-threatening rupture stage and I was rushed into surgery. I had no idea I was even pregnant and that is part of the whole stigma we need to break down."
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During her recovery Mel rewrote her submission for the book and as she got back on her feet she resumed her efforts to end the shame around discussion ectopic pregnancy.
"It is such a complex and dangerous condition," she said. "But we feel we should not talk about it and that is why there is so little understanding of it.
"Perhaps it is because it happens in the first 12 weeks. Then many women may not know they are pregnant and those who do are still at the stage where they are not sharing the news.
"A lot of women have told me that they feel like they need to deal with it alone and cannot speak about it. We need to change that."
After Mel's first ectopic pregnancy she had one of her fallopian tubes removed and the other was twisted. She thought she would be unable to have children.
But with husband Heath she was able to conceive firstly with IVF and then naturally. She now has a daughter aged 12 and a son aged four, as well as two grown-up stepchildren and two grandchildren.
"I know I was extremely lucky," said Mel. "But it doesn't change the fact that we need to transform attitudes on this condition to help save lives and to help women process and grieve for the life that was growing inside them, not feel shame."
The book, which features Mel's story as one of 10 by amazing women compiled by Nikki Kinsella, was launched in September with an event at Faenol Fawr Hotel in Bodelwyddan.
Best-selling author Lisa Williams, who sponsored the launch event, said: "Having watched Mel and her journey to be able to support such a charity was a huge privilege. The event was beautiful from start to finish."
Through sales of the book alone Mel has raised £2,111 for the EPT. In her own words, by turning 'pain into purpose' Mel also inspired a group of women at StudiOMG to take part in the 80 in 1 challenge - each committing to raise money by moving 80 miles in one month. Their efforts added £1,670 to the pot.
Finally at the end of October Heath and a group of friends rode 200 miles from Abergele to Fairbourne raising another £1,000, with donations also coming in from the George and Dragon pub in Abergele.
"I'm overwhelmed by the support I have had," said Mel. "Hopefully together we are making it more acceptable for women to speak up and share their stories.
"Many women have approached me since we started this to share their experiences of ectopic pregnancy. Some of them I have related to as they were similar to mine, others have opened my eyes to the ways this condition can affect people in ways I never imagined.
"We are making positive changes already too. As well as donating to EPT, we have met with Darren Millar MS. He is now pushing in the Senedd for Wales to adopt the same baby loss certificates they have in England and Scotland.
"Those certificates are vital to the grieving process as they affirm to women who may not have known they were pregnant until it was too late that there was a baby and that life -and what they went through - is formally recognised. That recognition is one important step towards coming to terms with ectopic pregnancies, to grieve for the baby you had.
"We have also persuaded Gwrych Medical Centre in Abergele to introduce the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust’s ‘Think Ectopic’ Bio-cards for all of their staff. Those cards and the additional reference resources available mean that if someone presents with potentially ectopic symptoms they can be more quickly and easily diagnosed and treated.
"When I rang to thank them and the doctor after my latest pregnancy, he had already sent a note to all staff saying that ensuring I was seen fast saved my life. I am so grateful.
"We are now trying to get the same resources into Ysbyty Glan Clwyd so they can better treat and inform patients on ectopic pregnancy."
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