For Blood Clot Awareness month, Hancock Health is sharing real stories from local Hancock County individuals who have experienced life-threatening clots in an effort to increase awareness, help others know their risk factors and prevent hardships due to blood clots.

In 2017, Steve Long, president and CEO of Hancock Health, and construction engineer Jamie Bell of NineStar Connect – long-time friends, racing competitors, and Hancock County leaders – were both diagnosed with a blood clot after separate mission trips that included a lot of traveling via planes, trains, and cars. Both required immediate medical attention for their clot, but only found out about the other’s story one day on the sidelines of the go-kart racetrack when they were subsequently not racing that year. Steve and Jamie are now on the other side of their clot stories and want to spread awareness and help others to know the signs and act fast.

Watch their story here.

The CDC reports that nearly 900,000 people are affected by blood clots each year in the U.S. and a 100,000 die from complications. Moreover, three in 10 people who have had blood clots will most likely have another episode within 10 years.

Mayo Clinic notes that blood clots are gel-like clumps of blood. They are made when substances in the blood thicken and form a semisolid mass. They form in response to a cut or other injury; they stop the bleeding by plugging the injured blood vessel. These blood clots help the body heal.

But some blood clots form inside the veins without a good reason. They don’t dissolve naturally. Once these clots form, they can travel to other parts of the body where they can cause harm. There are a variety of factors and conditions that can cause troublesome blood clots, and they may require medical attention, especially if they are in the legs, lungs, or brain.

To see more real blood clot stories, visit the CDC’s Real Stories website page, and make a point to discuss your risk factors with your provider. Need a provider? Find a doctor here.