It is not something that a mother plans, nor is it something that one wishes for. Nothing can prepare a mother for an early birth. 33,000 babies will be born premature this month. That is 1 in every 10 babies. Every 12 hours a mother dies due to pregnancy complications. Additionally, two babies die each day.

In 2020, the United States is one of the most dangerous developed nations in which to birth a child. Access to equal and quality maternity health care services is limited or lacking all over the country. Health, socio-economic and geographical factors all contribute to this crisis.

Due to these factors, more than 500,000 babies a year are at risk for serious health complications, and have an increased chance of maternal and infant mortality and morbidity. African American women are three times more likely than any other race to die from pregnancy-related causes and up to 50% higher chance for giving birth prematurely. More than 2/3 of maternal deaths are preventable. Nearly 1 in 7 women do not have health insurance the month prior to pregnancy. We need to take immediate action to prioritize the healthcare for our nation’s moms and babies.

The March of Dimes has helped millions of babies over the last 80 years.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis during his own personal fight with polio. Once pioneering the vaccine research and eradicating the polio epidemic, he shifted their mission to focus on moms and babies. In 2001, the March of Dimes launched the NICU Family Support® program to provide information, support and education to NICU families. Today, the program is at work in 67 hospitals around the country serving more than 50,000 families annually.

All funding provides critical research for interventions, tools, and education for medical professionals. Your donations implement supportive care programs, resources, and advocating policies for NICU families across our country.

Personally, I am forever grateful for the March of Dimes program at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The knowledge, educational resources, comfort and support the program provided my family during one of the most unexpected and trying times in our life was a lifeline to us all. Our community is blessed to have the March of Dimes NICU Family Support program hard at work so close to home.

We need your help to make a change for mom and babies everywhere. Learn what you can do at http://www.BlanketChange.org to advocate policies and fight for equal health care access for every childbearing woman in our nation.

Join my March For Babies Team to raise funds and awareness here locally. http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/vinstrong

Give them tomorrow. Do something today. #itsnotfine