'The Back Pain That Saved My Life': NBCA Releases New Podcast Episode Revealing the Aftermath of a Near-Fatal Blood Clot
Dan Walsh, NBCA Board Member and Pulmonary Embolism Survivor, with his wife and daughter
Year-end campaign highlights misdiagnosis, PTSD, and the healing power of community
PHILADELPHIA, PA, UNITED STATES, December 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) this week released a powerful new episode of its Taking a Breath podcast featuring Board Member and survivor Dan Walsh, whose story is the focus of NBCA’s 2025 year-end fundraising and awareness campaign.
Walsh was just 31 when a week of persistent back pain—initially misdiagnosed as a pulled muscle—escalated into a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. Looking back, he calls it “the back pain that saved my life,” words that hold both the gravity of what he endured and the gratitude that now guides him.
In the newly released episode, Dan opens up about what came after the emergency: the trauma, the fear, and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that followed him long after he left the hospital.
“Surviving a blood clot is only the first step,” Walsh shares. “The trauma stays with you. Talking about PTSD matters—because so many survivors carry it alone.”
Alongside his medical crisis, Walsh reflects on the impact on his young family—the moment his wife was told he might not survive, the nights spent wondering if the clot would return, and the slow, difficult work of reclaiming normalcy.
A STORY OF SURVIVAL—AND THE COMMUNITY THAT HELPED HIM HEAL
Walsh credits NBCA’s community support, education, and connection to other survivors as the turning point in his recovery—giving him the strength to share his story publicly and transforming his journey from one of fear to one of purpose.
The release of this episode coincides with NBCA’s end-of-year giving campaign, which highlights Dan’s story and the urgent need to support survivors and families navigating the emotional aftermath of blood clots—a part of recovery often left out of clinical discussions.
“If my story can spare one family what we went through, I’ll tell it a thousand times.”
LISTEN, SHARE, AND HELP PROTECT MORE FAMILIES
The full podcast episode is available now on all major platforms and on NBCA’s website, where supporters can also make a tax-deductible year-end gift.
Funds raised will help NBCA:
• Expand public awareness and education to prevent blood clots
• Provide vital support resources for patients and families
• Address survivor mental health needs, including PTSD
• Strengthen community programs that connect survivors nationwide
• Advance advocacy that saves lives through earlier recognition and intervention
Every donation empowers survivors like Dan and enables NBCA to continue its mission to stop blood clots and support those affected by them.
A CALL TO ACTION
Blood clots take 100,000 lives each year—many of them preventable. NBCA encourages the public to listen to Dan’s episode, share his story, and support the organization’s lifesaving work.
Listen and support the campaign here.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL BLOOD CLOT ALLIANCE
The National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is a nonprofit, patient-led organization dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis, and successful treatment of life-threatening blood clots such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Through education, advocacy, and community support, NBCA empowers patients and families nationwide. Learn more at StopTheClot.org.
Tarin Patrikis
National Blood Clot Alliance
+1 703-935-8845
email us here
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