The HER Foundation announces that Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated standup comedian, actress, writer, producer, and director Amy Schumer will join the HER Foundation’s Board of Directors in time to celebrate the 11th annual HG Awareness Day on Sunday, May 15th.
Schumer experienced Hyperemesis Gravidarum while pregnant with her son, Gene, and documented the journey with husband, Chris Fischer, in her docuseries, Expecting Amy. “Hyperemesis gravidarum is real and it’s awful. I was fortunate to have access to healthcare during my pregnancy. Many suffering from HG struggle to be properly diagnosed and to receive the treatment they need. I am looking forward to supporting the HER Foundation’s efforts to change that and continue to raise awareness about the lifelong impact of HG.”
HG is defined as a potentially life-threatening pregnancy disease that may cause weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and debility due to severe nausea and/or vomiting. HG increases a mother’s risk of bleeding disorders, preeclampsia, organ damage, and preterm birth. 50% of children exposed to HG in utero have a neurodevelopmental diagnosis including ADD/ADHD, anxiety, autism spectrum disorder, Sensory Integration Disorder (SID/SPD), and social development delay/social anxiety. An HG pregnancy has a 4-fold increased risk of preterm birth, increased risk of loss, and mothers still die every year. HER’s collaborative research with USC finds two types of genetic studies that the nausea and vomiting hormone gene GDF15 is the greatest genetic risk factor for hyperemesis gravidarum. The new variants published in BJOG in February may have implications for prediction, diagnosis, and treatment.
Executive Director and co-founder, Kimber MacGibbon, a Registered Nurse who appears in Expecting Amy, is pleased to welcome Schumer to the Board. “Amy’s work has been important in raising awareness of the debilitating impact of Hyperemesis Gravidarum on the lives of mothers and their families. The Foundation appreciates Amy’s support as a voice for the HG community and a partner in HER’s mission to improve treatment and outcomes for HG sufferers globally.”
Schumer will join other sector leaders on the HER Foundation’s Board of Directors to guide operations and programs which include crisis support services, patient and provider education, breakthrough research, awareness, and advocacy. In 2020, HER launched the “1 MOM is 2 Many” campaign, a collaborative effort aiming to eradicate severe HG and its complications. 1 MOM partners include African Health Now, Action on Preeclampsia Ghana, San Diego International Birthing Project, and others across the globe.
