Introducing the Allo Podcast from the Allo Hope Foundation!
Molly Sherwood:
Mothers have a built-in powerful instinct to protect their children from danger.
Bethany Weathersby:
But what if the thing my child needs to be protected from the most is me?
Molly Sherwood:
Women who are diagnosed with maternal alloimmunization find themselves in this situation when they learn that their own immune system could attack their baby during pregnancy.
Bethany Weathersby:
This can cause hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn, or HDFN, a potentially fatal disease for the baby.
Molly Sherwood:
Women experiencing alloimmunization during pregnancy often feel overwhelmed, anxious, and isolated.
Bethany Weathersby:
Fortunately, with the right doctor and the right care, HDFN is a temporary, treatable disease.
Molly Sherwood:
And we can help. Introducing the Allo Podcast.
Bethany Weathersby:
The Allo Podcast will provide real life patient experiences, valuable insights for providers and care teams, and easy to understand information so women can protect their babies from HDFN. I'm, Bethany Weathersby.
Molly Sherwood:
And I'm Molly Sherwood. We are both alloimmunized mothers.
Bethany Weathersby:
On the Allo Podcast. We'll dive into the little known world of alloimmunization and HDFN.
Molly Sherwood:
We'll get into the basics and the details of the disease.
Bethany Weathersby:
How it happens, what quality care should look like.
Molly Sherwood:
And how to ensure the best outcomes.
Bethany Weathersby:
We'll also share our own experiences.
Molly Sherwood:
A nurse popped his head in the room and he was like, "By the way, you have antibodies. You're positive for antibodies." And I was like, "What?" I had no idea what he meant, no idea.
Bethany Weathersby:
Every day, it was like the anxiety would just build, and build, and build because I had this feeling, I just had this uneasy feeling that she was being attacked by my antibodies, and she was deteriorating, and we were just doing nothing.
Molly Sherwood:
And we'll hear the partner's perspective.
Husband:
This isn't something either one of us had control over there. There's no reason to push blame on this. I didn't choose to do this. It wasn't something I could control, and she can't control either.
Bethany Weathersby:
Now, we are not doctors, but we happen to be good friends with two of the world's experts on the disease.
Molly Sherwood:
Dr. Ken Moise.
Dr. Ken Moise:
The first thing I have to do is to establish trust with them. They are entrusting the life of their unborn child to my hands. And it's an incredible privilege, but think about it, how many times do you relinquish the life of another to someone you don't even know?
Bethany Weathersby:
And Dr. Thomas Trevett.
Dr. Thomas Trevett:
I think a healthy patient provider relationship is absolutely a two way street, especially because, in this field, we're not dealing with just a patient. We're dealing with a parent of a patient. We have two patients.
Molly Sherwood:
They'll be with us along the way to help provide evidence-based information about this disease and tips on how to advocate for the best care.
Bethany Weathersby:
So follow the Allo Podcast on your favorite podcast app right now and never miss an episode.
Molly Sherwood:
Yeah. Crush that follow button.
Bethany Weathersby:
Do people even say that?
Molly Sherwood:
I think they do now.
Bethany Weathersby:First episodes begin streaming Tuesday, September 20th.