Why Doctor and Runner, Kari Horowitz is Grateful This Season 

Kari Horowitz, MD is an Ob-Gyn, Fetal-Maternal Medicine Specialist at University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, CT.

Kari is also part of Team EMC and ran the New York City Marathon this month to raise awareness and funds to improve maternal health around the world. Kari shares what gratitude means to her.

Kari, given your perspective as a doctor and Team EMC runner, what are you grateful for?

I’m grateful for being able to take care of mothers and babies in an environment where we’re able to make pregnancy safe. I’m also grateful to be able to raise money for those who don’t have that access.

That really hit home for me after running the marathon a few weeks ago. The night after the marathon, while extremely tired and stiff, I got a call from the hospital about a patient whose baby was having fetal distress. She needed a C-section right away and no matter how I felt post-marathon, that was my job.

We got the baby out and everything was fine. As we finished the surgery, I reflected on the events of the previous 24 hours and thought about how we are so fortunate to have the resources to monitor this patient and the capabilities to do an emergency C-section. In another situation, she would not have been followed or monitored and she would have presented with a stillbirth. This situation in the hospital really made the connection for me about the importance of why I ran a marathon for Every Mother Counts.

Was that your first marathon?

Yes. From the time I reached mile 24 until a couple of hours after I completed the marathon I was thinking, “I will never do this again.” Then I switched gears and thought about running another one in 2016. With that said, my fiancé and I decided we might want to have a baby instead. So, we’ll see.

Thank you for sharing your story and for being part of our team. It’s doctors like you who are helping to make pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother and we’re very grateful for you and your skills.

Follow more stories this month using #GratitudeSeason.