10 years ago this summer Dana and I lost our son Bryce. He was stillborn at 37 weeks. These were some of the darkest days and although time has passed this remains a pivotal moment in our lives that can never be erased. The pain and agony of losing this baby still impact our lives today. Despite the fact that I had access to excellent healthcare during my pregnancy none of my providers suggested I track fetal movements.

The more I learned about stillbirth I realized that I was far from alone in my pain. That in the United States each 1 in 167 births end in stillbirth. Remarkably this rate increases to 1 in 90 for black women. We have the power to change this statistic and save babies by educating doctors and moms about the scientifically proven importance of monitoring fetal movements. Count the Kicks founded in Iowa is a public service campaign that spreads awareness of Counting Kicks through a simple app available in 10 languages. Count the Kicks also advocates for healthy moms and babies. And continues to do the research that supports healthy outcomes for moms.

In honor of Bryce’s 10 birthday, I plan to raise $10,000 for Count the Kicks by inviting you to make a donation or to attend the virtual 7th Annual Every Woman Counts event to be held on May 11, 2021, at 12 pm-1 pm CST. (The link will be active 24 hours after the event as well) The event features the NY Times best-selling author Glennon Doyle. Her book Untamed has sold over 2 million copies and features the stores of the Count the Kicks founders. 

To express my sincere gratitude for making a donation I plan to host a virtual book club featuring Untamed on Sunday, May 2.