A Rumson Mother's Plea For Change After Teen Daughter's Death
RUMSON, NJ — Maddy Massabni, a Rumson teen, was home from college to celebrate her 19th birthday when she began experiencing flu-like symptoms. What appeared to be a normal stomach bug turned out to be toxic shock syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal complication of certain types of bacterial infections.
Following Maddy's death in 2017, her mother, Dawn Massabni, founded the Maddy Massabni Foundation for Toxic Shock Awareness, which is based in Rumson and works to raise awareness of menstrual toxic shock syndrome (mTSS).
“I never in my worst nightmares imagined losing my daughter, especially to something so preventable. Something, that if it had been taken care of decades ago by our healthcare, educational, and governmental agencies, Maddy, along with many others, would be here with us today, living out their hopes and dreams,” Massabni said on the foundation's blog.
Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome often results from toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria, but the condition may also be caused by toxins produced by group A streptococcus (strep) bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of mTSS progress quickly and often include a sudden high fever, a rash resembling a sunburn, particularly on your palms and soles, seizures and vomiting.
Massabni stated that her daughter's health quickly deteriorated, going from feeling like she had a stomach bug to having a seizure in just 24 hours.
“All I can remember was crying and screaming 'please don’t leave me, I love you' over and over again. I could not understand what just happened. My daughter was strong and healthy. They revived her numerous times, placed her on a ventilator as well as dialysis at the hospital. So much was happening so fast. It was the doctor's words 'the situation is grave', that sent me to my knees. Maddy was in a coma and would not recover,” Massabni said in a letter.
Massabni and her son George have since dedicated their lives to spreading awareness and creating impactful, legislative change around menstrual toxic shock awareness education in New Jersey.
The Maddy Massabni Foundation for Toxic Shock Awareness is hosting its second large-scale fundraiser, a fashion show entitled, “Butterflies For Maddy.” The fundraiser is being held on May 18, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Surfrider Beach Club in Sea Bright.
To purchase tickets for the fundraiser, click here.
All the selected clothing for the fundraiser's fashion show was designed by Brookdale Community College fashion students.
“Maddy was attending Lynn University studying fashion with the hopes and dreams of working in the industry. With the world's eyes on health issues due to Covid-19 and Maddy's love and passion for fashion, we thought a fashion show in her honor would for sure have her smiling on us from above,” said Jessica Weltz, a friend of Maddy's.
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A Rumson Mother's Plea For Change After Teen Daughter's Death originally appeared on the Rumson-Fair Haven Patch
