“There was no time for me to be scared,” said Cheveria. “I remember my husband saying, ‘you did it, I love you.’ Then I gave my daughter a kiss and it all went black.”

Blood pressure medication helped get Cheveria’s heart pumping again, but the life-threatening clots in her lungs, called a pulmonary embolism, were putting intense strain on her heart. Cardiologists at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute had to work quickly to remove the clots and keep her heart from stopping a second time. 

Keith Benzuly, MD, an interventional cardiologist at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, began an emergency thrombectomy to clear the clots. During the highly specialized procedure, a catheter was run from Cheveria’s leg up through a blood vessel, through her heart, and into her lungs.

“This was a life-threatening emergency,” said Dr. Benzuly. “It’s really difficult when you’re taking care of someone who is that sick and their life is in your hands. I tried to focus on the technical aspects of the procedure, because I knew that this was the best chance for Chelsea to survive and for her baby to have a mother.”

The procedure was a success, the blood clots were cleared, and Cheveria’s heart was finally stable. Shortly after, her baby girl was back in her arms, right where she belonged.

“Once I woke up and held her again, I was never letting go,” said Cheveria.

Pulmonary Embolism after C-section

A blood clot in the lungs is one of the most common causes of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States, and a cesarean section doubles this risk. While clotting is a known complication, Robbye McNair, MD, the obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Northwestern Medicine who delivered Cheveria’s baby, says it’s still rare.

“Everything was routine, the baby was out and Chelsea was holding her,” said. Dr. McNair. “We were about to close the next to last layer of the procedure when she went unresponsive. Chelsea had no risk factors, and this was unfortunately random. I want to reassure patients that these are rare events, and most deliveries are uncomplicated.”

A team approach

Before Cheveria’s thrombectomy could be performed, doctors had to first address another issue – life-threatening bleeding from an artery in her uterus. Daniel Schimmel, MD, director of the Pulmonary Embolism Response Team (PERT) at Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, swiftly coordinated a treatment plan between interventional cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pulmonologists, and interventional radiologists.

“When you think about the baby who might lose a mom, you are not just trying to save a patient, but you’re trying to protect a family,” said Dr. Schimmel. “This was all-hands-on-deck, everyone running to the bedside.”

Robert Lewandowski, MD, an interventional radiologist at Northwestern Medicine, first performed an emergency uterine artery embolization to stop the bleeding, allowing Cheveria to take the blood thinners needed for a thrombectomy.

“This was a unique situation that required significant multi-discipline collaboration,” said Dr. Lewandoski. “Chelsea urgently needed blood thinners to help fix the clots, but that would exacerbate her uterine bleeding. Expedited care in the right order was paramount.”

Because the PERT was already in place, Cheveria was able to get multi-disciplinary and life-saving care right when she needed it.

A family of four

Despite the harrowing hours she experienced after giving birth, Cheveria spent just five days in the hospital before discharge to her home in Chicago. She’s now adjusting to life with her new baby girl Zairah (zye-ruh), her 4-year-old daughter Annayiah (uh-nye-uh), and her husband, Scott. Cheveria is sharing her story to prove that happy endings are possible, even with some bumps along the way.

“I now have a hematologist, a cardiologist, and a therapist,” Cheveria said with a smile. “And I already want another baby, I'm not afraid to go again. I just love being a mom.”

For more information on heart care and women’s health, visit nm.org.

CHICAGO, IL – February 11, 2026 – Chicago philanthropist Neil G. Bluhm and the Bluhm Family Foundation are underscoring their commitment to life-saving heart care with a $50 million gift to the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute (BCVI). The gift builds on two decades of generosity from Bluhm, bringing his total gifts to BCVI to $135 million. The additional funds will expand access to cardiac care and bolster what is consistently ranked among the top 10 heart programs in the nation and among the top 20 cardiac surgery centers in the world. 

“My main goal has always been to ensure that anyone who needs world-class heart care can get it,” said Bluhm. “We made this possible 20 years ago in downtown Chicago and built on that when we expanded care into the suburbs. It has been one of my greatest honors to watch this program touch so many lives and I’m humbled to continue supporting this mission.”

World-class care for all

Since Bluhm’s initial gift to establish BCVI in 2005, the institute has treated hundreds of thousands of patients and saved countless lives across Chicago and beyond. Subsequent contributions helped advance health equity by extending top-tier care throughout the region, closer to where people live and work. Bluhm’s generosity has supported research, recruited physicians, and established programs like the Center for Artificial Intelligence and the Bluhm Heart Hospital at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

This latest $50 million gift will support the following initiatives:

• Further expand access to heart care by bringing new technologies and innovative therapies to Northwestern Medicine’s nine-hospital health network
• Increase the footprint of Bluhm Heart Hospital with more procedural space
• Support new research and clinical trials
• Develop breakthrough innovations for leading-edge advances in cardiovascular medicine
• Support fellowships to train the next generation of physician talent
• Recruit world-class physician leaders

“Generous contributions from the Bluhm Family have continuously fueled our commitment to saving lives and putting patients first,” said Howard Chrisman, MD, president and chief executive officer, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare. “By investing in the future of cardiac medicine, BCVI will continue to stand as a beacon of hope for patients all over the world and for generations to come.”

Building on better medicine

Because of Bluhm’s philanthropy, BCVI has sustained explosive growth since its inception. The institute went from treating 1,000 patients in its inaugural year to more than 48,000 new patients in 2025. Today, the institute spans 18 locations throughout the greater Chicago area and employs 2,400 clinicians. A team of more than 186 specialized cardiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons take on some of the toughest cases that other health systems are forced to turn away. To date, BCVI has achieved milestones such as:

• Ranked among the top 10 cardiology, heart and vascular programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for the last 10 years
• Among the top 20 hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery as ranked by Newsweek
• Seventh ranked patient-preferred hospital in the nation for heart care
• Among the top 15 hospitals in the nation for heart attack survival
• 900% cardiac surgery growth since 2005
• 96% patient satisfaction
• Treated patients from at least 40 countries and all 50 states
• 3,100 cardiac and vascular manuscripts published over the last three years
• $100 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health since 2020

“As we conclude the celebration of BCVI’s first 20 years, this extraordinary gift ensures we are not only honoring our past, but shaping the next 20 years of cardiovascular care,” said Patrick M. McCarthy, MD, executive director of Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. “This commitment keeps Northwestern Medicine at the forefront of cardiovascular medicine, empowering us to deliver superior outcomes for patients today and into the future.”

Thanks to Bluhm’s unwavering support, BCVI can continue making strides in the fight against heart disease by making care more accessible, supporting clinical talent, advancing infrastructure, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in cardiac medicine. 

For more information about cardiovascular treatments at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org/heart.