The Challenge is to Be One in a Million
Nov 08, 2011
If you’re a mom, you know. There are a million things to consider when you discover that you are expecting.
If you live in the United States you probably have access to doctors and specialists that will provide adequate prenatal care, as well as expert medical advice. In the case of an emergency, you can dial 911 and have emergency responders transport you or your child to the hospital for urgent care. In the days, months and years following your child’s birth, visits with various health providers will help you to ensure that your child is developing physically, mentally and emotionally. And you will even be offered vaccines for your child that can prevent many dangerous and deadly diseases.
But the fact is that millions of moms in the developing world also worry about their pregnancies and their babies each and every day. They too deserve a childbirth free of complications and a healthy baby. But sadly, the statistics are not very encouraging.
- Every 90 seconds, a woman dies during pregnancy or childbirth. Most of those deaths are in the developing world.
- 1 in 5 women in Africa loses a baby in her lifetime. In richer countries, that number is around 1 in 125.
- Almost 8 million children die each year before their 5th birthdays—that’s almost 21,000 children each day—from largely preventable causes.
That is why I would like to encourage everyone to take action and become one in a million. 
The goal is simple, yet ambitious. It’s a call-to-action for every man and woman who care about moms. It’s a campaign for hope and a movement that is intended to create a global community based on the common dream that every mother shares – to have a healthy pregnancy and a baby who will survive and thrive. It’s a million Americans engaging with millions of moms in the developing world through the Million Moms Challenge.
To support this global community, the Million Moms Challenge will focus on crucial issues that are a priority for all mothers such as access to proper nutrition to support healthy pregnancies, trained midwives to assist in safe deliveries, and vaccines that enable children to survive to their first birthdays and beyond. While the Million Moms Challenge is sponsored in part by ABC News, the UN Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, just to name a few, the real emphasis is on the contributions of a million different Americans.
You are being invited to support this movement and there are a variety of ways that you can do it. It’s can be as simple as signing a pledge, making a monetary contribution, sharing your stories or donating your old phone.
So take action now. What better to get started than by joining today’s “Baby Shower for Global Good“. This special 9-hour online party is being held on Twitter (#amillionmoms) and on the BabyCenter Community pages. This is a virtual get together to share support and advice, while also raising awareness about maternal health issues. Be sure to check out the various organizations that will be providing prizes, expert advice and compelling real-life stories that highlight the challenges faced by moms around the globe.
So what are you waiting for? You always knew you were one in a million. Now is the time to stand up and be that one that makes a difference!
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