RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK - On the eve of Mother's Day, 43 people took part in a walk in Research Triangle Park to raise money to fight preeclampsia, a disorder that affects both mother and fetus during pregnancy.

The 3.1-mile walk, the first of its kind in North Carolina, raised nearly $3,000 for the Preeclampsia Foundation, organizer Elizabeth Willis said. The foundation is a national nonprofit organization that finances research, education and support efforts around preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Preeclampsia is characterized by elevated blood pressure, swelling and protein in the urine and can lead to premature birth, illness and death. The cause of the disorder is not fully understood. For more information, go to www.preeclampsia.org.