Blood clots claim lives of young athletes, families advocate for awareness
The Brief
Gov. Brian Kemp declared March as Blood Clot Awareness Month in Georgia.
It comes after two families who lost their sons to blood clots brought up the idea to educate others about clotting risk factors.
Their goal is to raise awareness about blood clots, especially in kids and athletes.
ATLANTA - Up to 100,000 people die each year from blood clots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 25% of those who experience initial symptoms will die suddenly.
What we know
Twenty-one-year-old Bryce Stanfield, a Harrison High graduate and defensive tackle at Furman University, died last February.
Seventeen-year-old Denmark High School football star Finley Krutchen died in October.
Both athletes died from massive pulmonary embolisms where a blood clot blocks arteries in the lungs. They both had the clotting disorder Factor V Leiden.
What they're saying
"Finley didn't show any of the signs and symptoms that you would typically think, but he had pneumonia, and they thought maybe asthma and he saw a couple of different doctors...was cleared by cardiology a week before he went into cardiac arrest," Finley's mom, Veronica Krutchen said.
"Bryce was a 21-year-old athletic football player. He was diagnosed with muscle strains and an upper respiratory infection, maybe a touch of asthma. No one suspected that his symptoms would be related to a blood clot," Bryce's mom, Teri Stanfield, explained.
Both of the athletes' parents plan to head to Washington D.C. in March to continue to push for blood clot awareness on a national level.
"It just helps us know that our boys' voices will be heard," Krutchen added.
SEE ALSO:
Mother champions awareness of pulmonary embolisms in young athletes
Forsyth County teen football star suffers embolism; to be honored at game
The Source
FOX 5's Kim Leoffler spoke to the family of Bryce Stanfield and Finley Krutchen, who both died from blood clots.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chronic illness exposes health care gaps
RX pharmacy prescription bottle of pills on a pile of $100 dollar bills and a USA outline Living with a chronic illness is not simply physical pain or fatigue; it is a constant negotiation with a health care system that commodifies care. Every doctor's appointment, prescription, and therapy session is a reminder of the overwhelming and taxing obstacles that must be navigated to stay alive. These costs are not merely financial; they also impact time spent with family, peace of mind, and dignity. This battle is not only against illness, but also against a system that fails to recognize people first. We are human beings worthy of compassion and care, not merely a line in a profit ledger. Yet, in today's political climate, legislative proposals threaten access to essential programs for Medicare and Medicaid, posing even greater risk to vulnerable individuals. This is the grim reality for millions of Americans, and it begs an urgent question: When will our health care system start putting humanity over revenue? I am living with Lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes fatigue, joint pain, and organ failure. I have faced unpredictable flare-ups since my diagnosis in 2002. These flare-ups require weekly doctor visits, medications, and sometimes hospitalizations. Even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs can run into the thousands annually, forcing me to make difficult choices: Should I pay for my medications or my mortgage? Should I miss a doctor's appointment to afford groceries? These are not theoretical questions but real decisions that millions of people with chronic illnesses face daily. Medical debt, or personal debt incurred from unpaid medical bills, is a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. As many as 40% of U.S. adults, or about 100 million people, are currently in debt because of medical or dental bills. Families with multiple disabilities face compounding expenses in the management of those disabilities, including specialized medical care, therapy, adaptive equipment, and educational support. My family was faced with this challenge as I struggled to manage my and my disabled child's health. This encumbrance is especially heavy for parents relying on Social Security benefits. The emotional toll of balancing these responsibilities often leads to heightened stress and financial insecurity, keeping families trapped in poverty. My geographical location presents an additional barrier to receiving quality, timely, and equitable health care. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that rural residents are often sicker and die younger than individuals in urban communities. This is due to numerous factors, including access. I live in a rural area where health care access is significantly limited. Patients in rural areas often travel long distances to seek specialized care, face poorly resourced local facilities, and experience delayed care. According to the Bowen Center, Indiana has had multiple hospital closures, with 52 rural hospitals remaining as of 2024, and 25% of open hospitals have experienced service reductions. These systemic issues are further compounded by our health care system. Pharmaceutical companies continue to raise the cost of life-saving medications with little to no regulation. Insurance companies often refuse to cover newer, more effective treatments, forcing patients to navigate bureaucratic red tape or accept suboptimal alternatives. CONTACT US Public assistance programs, while helpful, are often insufficient, placing a financial burden on patients. Although Indiana has instituted various measures to solve the overwhelming health care costs, the emotional toll of these financial challenges cannot be overstated. So, what is to be done? First, lawmakers must address the underlying drivers of high health care spending. This involves enacting tougher rules on drug prices, mandating transparency from health providers regarding pricing, and expanding Medicare and Medicaid coverage for people with chronic diseases and disabilities – not creating more barriers. Second, insurers should streamline their procedures so patients have access to necessary treatments without constant denials and delays. Patients and providers will benefit from streamlined processes that remove administrative layers, allowing providers to focus on delivering quality health care. Additionally, rural health care access should be addressed. Removing telehealth restrictions and incentivizing the physician workforce in rural communities would go a long way in addressing the need for health care access in these deserts. Chronic illnesses deeply impact all of our communities. They do not discriminate based on income, and neither should our health care policies. As we move forward, it is crucial that we not only address the physical needs of those living with chronic illnesses, but also alleviate the economic burdens that prevent them from living productive and dignified lives. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
What the CDC's Dengue Fever warning means for Caribbean travel
What the CDC's Dengue Fever warning means for Caribbean travel originally appeared on Come Cruise With Me. Before you travel, it's always a good idea to review country-specific health information provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as travel safety information provided by the U.S. State Department. These notices and travel advisories provide important information to help U.S. citizens guard their health and safety while traveling abroad — whether on a cruise or another type of travelers often focus more attention on destination-specific safety and security threats outlined in travel advisories, it's important to consider travel health notices, too. The CDC recently updated some of these notices, including a vital warning for travelers concerning outbreaks of dengue, a common mosquito-borne disease that can have life-threatening health consequences in some cases. More than 13 million cases of dengue were reported across the Americas and in the Caribbean in 2024, and dengue outbreaks in these areas continue in CDC recently updated its travel health notice about global dengue, warning travelers that a number of countries around the world continue to report increased numbers of cases of the serious disease. In its notice, the CDC also explains that health officials are seeing a concerning rise in the number of dengue cases among U.S. travelers returning from certain countries. Dengue outbreaks are reported regularly in many popular tourist destinations, including cruise ports, in the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Related: Royal Caribbean shares new health warning for cruisepassengers Specific countries currently experiencing dengue outbreaks include: Brazil Colombia Comoros Cuba Ecuador, including the Galápagos Islands Fiji French Polynesia, including the island groups of Society Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, and Bora-Bora) Marquesas Islands (Hiva Oa and Ua Huka) Austral Islands (Tubuai and Rurutu) Guadeloupe Guatemala Iran Mexico Pakistan Panama Philippines Saint Lucia Samoa Sudan, and Tonga. Public health officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have also declared dengue outbreaks. If you're taking a cruise to Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Mexico, Panama, or Saint Lucia, you should be especially careful and take steps to protect yourself from is caused by a virus that's spread by mosquito bites, so the CDC advises travelers visiting risk areas to be diligent about preventing them. The CDC's recommendations for mosquito bite prevention include: Use an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors Sleep in an air-conditioned room or room with window screens If you do get mosquito bites during a cruise or other trip to a destination with a dengue risk, there are a few things to know and key symptoms to look out for following your trip. Dengue can take up to two weeks to begin, and illness generally lasts less than a week. Symptoms include fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, rash, muscle and joint pain, and minor bleeding. If you develop a fever or experience other symptoms of dengue, you should see a health care provider and inform them of your some cases, dengue can become severe within a few hours, quickly turning into a medical emergency that typically requires hospitalization. Severe dengue can lead to hemorrhage (uncontrolled bleeding), shock (seriously low blood pressure), organ failure, and even death. Even if you don't get sick, if you've recently visited a dengue risk area, you should also continue protect yourself from mosquito bites upon your return home to reduce the chance of spreading dengue. The CDC advises that travelers returning from a destination with a dengue risk should take steps to prevent mosquito bites for three weeks in order to avoid spreading dengue to mosquitoes that could spread the virus to other people. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) , or email Amy Post at or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by Come Cruise With Me on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Miami Herald
17 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Meth makes comeback in Minnesota in more dangerous and record ways
A subtle shift was happening among clients at the north Minneapolis community drop-in center. For years, people seeking substance abuse services at Anything Helps reported using just one drug of choice. Recently, staff noticed more and more users had expanded their appetite, preferring a combination of drugs at once versus 'picking a lane.' The polysubstance abuse among their regulars soon evolved almost exclusively to one pairing of drugs in the majority of their clients: fentanyl and methamphetamine. 'That's pretty new,' according to Brian Warden, the nonprofit's harm reduction director. 'That's something we traditionally see in cities like Denver, San Francisco or Seattle. That's not something we've really seen here.' To Warden, the change in the clientele's drug use pattern could stem from a number of reasons, including a correlation with a rise in homelessness in Minneapolis. But undoubtedly, he said, the phenomenon can be explained in part by the recent surge of methamphetamine in Minnesota. As the deadly fentanyl crisis demanded the state's attention post-pandemic, another was building with methamphetamine. The stimulant, long supreme in the underbelly of Minnesota's drug scene, is flooding the state - with a more dangerous dosage than meth of the past. 'The numbers are just a ridiculous amount of meth ... it just hasn't gotten enough publicity,' said Rafael Mattei, acting special agent in charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's division over Minnesota. The meth surge in Minnesota came just as the street fentanyl crisis showed signs of easing. U.S. opioid overdose deaths plummeted 41% in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fatal overdoses of all kinds fell 27%. In Minnesota, preliminary data from the Minnesota Department of Health showed an 8% drop in overall overdose deaths from 2022 to 2023. But meth 'has never gone away,' Mattei said. No longer homemade in makeshift labs, meth is being churned out of Mexican super labs by cartels that cashed in on the lack of supply and cheaper production costs. And its price has plummeted, becoming a more lucrative option for dealers. Ken Sass, statewide drug and gang coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, recalled a pound of meth costing $3,000 to $5,000 around 15 years ago, during his tenure as a federal drug agent. Now, he estimates, the price has fallen below $1,000. The drug makes its way to Minnesota most often by snaking up the Interstate 35 corridor to be sold in droves or continue into neighboring states. Last year, federal officials announced they had busted 'one of the largest and most prolific drug organizations' in Minnesota's history following the arrest of a Twin Cities man accused of helping push a historic amount of meth and other substances from Mexico. Federal prosecutors allege Clinton Ward made ties with two of Mexico's most notorious drug cartels and funneled the substance across the border via shipping containers, private vehicles and semitrailers before breaking the drug down into smaller quantities, then delivering it to Minnesota. The U.S. Attorney's Office charged Ward under the rare 'kingpin' statute, along with 14 others in the conspiracy case that led to the seizure of 1,600 pounds of methamphetamine, 4 kilograms of cocaine, 2 kilograms of fentanyl and 30,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills. Federal officials described the bust as a success for having disrupted a major pipeline of illegal drugs in Minnesota. Yet methamphetamine is continuing to pour into Minnesota with no sign of slowing down, data from the DEA indicates. Last year, the amount of methamphetamine seized by federal agents in Minnesota increased 142%, totaling 2,080 pounds, compared with the roughly 860 pounds of meth seized in 2023. The numbers do not include drugs seized by state, local or tribal law enforcement. Federal drug agents are on track to outpace the amount of meth seized last year. They've seen a 25% increase in the amount of meth seized from January to April 2025, compared with the same time last year. More readily available meth, Sass said, 'leads to more addiction and probably a broadening market as well.' And although meth may not be as lethal as fentanyl, the drug today poses its own dangers. The meth from Mexican super labs holds higher potency, resulting in a more dangerous and addictive concoction than the meth sold in the 1990s and early 2000s. After federal legislation in 2005 cracked down on the commercial sale of products containing precursor chemicals to make meth, such as pseudoephedrine in the decongestant Sudafed, cartels pursued the chemicals overseas and became bulk buyers. The product is then cut with other hazardous materials to bring maximum profit. Users deep in the throes of meth addiction can stay awake for days, leading to paranoia and hallucinations. A hallmark sign of meth addiction is wounds on a user's skin caused by incessant scratching. People who experience withdrawals may resort to theft, robbery or other crimes to obtain money for another hit. The elevated potency can only worsen symptoms, which carry ripple effects into communities. 'Their health, their mental health, their relationships, medical conditions that arise from addiction and all the personal problems that would come from [addiction] ... they relay that to the relationships with their family,' Sass said. In some cases, law enforcement and treatment providers are seeing fentanyl added to methamphetamine. Though the risk of dying from a meth overdose is much lower than that of fentanyl, which has a deadly dose that can fit on the tip of a pencil, the drug takes its toll 'little by little.' 'There is no accident here,' Warden said, saying of the adulteration of fentanyl with meth, 'I've never seen anything like that before.' Mattei likened the difference between the meth on the streets today compared with meth of the past as that of whiskey versus beer. 'They were making beer first,' Mattei said. 'Now the meth that's out there is kind of like higher-proof alcohol. So you need less to feel.' Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
