PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Arshell Brooks-Harris, Secretary of the Board of Directors of National Blood Clot Alliance
2:14:25
ยท
124 sec
Arshell Brooks-Harris, Secretary of the Board of Directors for the National Blood Clot Alliance, shared her personal story of losing her daughter to a blood clot and her mission to raise awareness about blood clots. She emphasized the preventable nature of blood clots and her ongoing efforts to bring attention to this issue in New York City and beyond.
- Brooks-Harris lost her daughter, Lachelle Brooks, to a blood clot at age 32, leaving behind a 12-year-old daughter.
- She is working with local officials, including Crystal Hudson, to bring awareness of blood clots to communities in Brooklyn, New York.
- The National Blood Clot Alliance holds meetings on Capitol Hill, with their third annual meeting upcoming on March 25.
Arshell Brooks-Harris
2:14:25
excuse my voice.
2:14:27
First of all, I'd like to thank God for giving me this opportunity to speak on this issue that is near and dear to me.
2:14:34
My name is Arshelle Brooks Harris.
2:14:37
I'm the secretary of the board of directors for the National Blood Clot Alliance.
2:14:42
I got involved with the National Blood Clot Alliance after my daughter, Lachelle Brooks, passed away from a blood clot that she had inflicted in her ankle, from her broken ankle at 32 years old.
2:14:55
She left behind a 12 year old daughter at the time.
2:14:59
This is will be year five in September.
2:15:02
My life will never be the same.
2:15:04
I thought when I lost my leg due to necrotizing fasciitis, which is a flesh eating virus, but four years later, I lost my firstborn daughter due to this cunning disease.
2:15:17
The National Blood Cloud Alliance holds meetings on Capitol Hill.
2:15:21
This will be our third year coming up on March 25 and I've been fighting to have a resolution for New York City and for the stomping grounds that my daughter grew up with in Brooklyn, New York in Fort Green area with Crystal Hudson to bring awareness of blood clots to the forefront of the communities and the surrounding communities of Brooklyn, New York and abroad.
2:15:50
Sorry.
2:15:51
Losing a child, you know, you you expect your child to bury you, not you bury your child.
2:15:57
I'm just finding to bring awareness to people so that they can know the severity of this, and it's preventable.
2:16:04
That's the thing about it.
2:16:06
Is totally preventable to, you know, get the education and learn about the signs and symptoms of blood clots so that this doesn't happen to anyone else.
2:16:16
And I'm going to keep fighting.
2:16:18
I've been fighting for almost five years for this and I'm an amputee, I take care of my 87 year old mom, but I'm going to keep fighting.
2:16:28
Thank you.