Today I gave an elderly woman leftover IUD cookie from a women's reproductive rights fundraiser I ran a bake sale for. She took it and said 'this thing almost killed me' I looked at her shocked. She went on to explain that she was invited to do a free clinical trial for a new IUD not yet released on the market. The IUD failed and she became pregnant and had miscarriage. She told me that she never had told her ex husband but she felt comfortable telling me, an almost perfect stranger this. ' I was one of the lucky ones too, I survived, other women had died'. It made me realize we don't give enough credit to the people who give their time and put their health and well being on the line to do clinical trials and scientific studies. Nobody wants to be the 'gunea pig' but it has to be done to make advancements in medicine. I told her I have an IUD and it works great for me it was the best decision I ever made. I told her I was sorry for what had happened to her but thank you for your sacrifice so women's healthcare could advance.