Thanks for checking out the #MilesForMilo page!
On Sunday November 3rd 2024, Jacob and John will be running the NYC Marathon
with the National CMV Foundation Team to raise awareness for CMV
(Cytomegalovirus). CMV is the most common congenital viral infection in the
United States, affecting 30,000+ newborns per year, yet, only 9% of people know
about it.
Unfortunately, since 91% of women have never head of it before,
Milo (Cara and Jacob’s Middle Son) caught it from their first born (Emma) while
she was in day care. CMV is mostly transmitted through saliva and 75% of
toddlers have CMV making women with children high risk, yet you rarely hear of this
risk when getting pregnant. This infection can lead to a myriad of complications
spanning from hearing/vision loss, cerebral palsy, autism, microcephaly,
epilepsy, and in serious/rare cases death. As many of you know, this has permanently
impacted our family – leaving Milo with permanent hearing loss in his left ear.
Our goal is simple – to close this knowledge gap and create awareness
so that families can be empowered with proper education from the medical
community before or during pregnancy of these risks especially mother’s with other
young children to #STOPCMV.
If you can, please consider donating to the National CMV Foundation
so that they can continue doing the great work so that we can eliminate CMV
infections within the next generation and ensure that other families can avoid
this outcome. If you can’t, no problem! – Please just post #MilesForMilo on
your next run to drum up awareness of CMV on any of your social media platforms
– there’s a good chance that 91% of the people that you know have never heard
of it and we can #STOPCMV.
TIA and please know that all this awareness means the world to our family <3
To learn more about our story – follow the below link: Here and for more CMV resources please visit the National CMV Foundation - Here
WHAT'S CMV?
CMV (cytomegalovirus) is the
leading cause of non genetic birth defects in babies, the most common being
hearing loss. About 1 in every 200 babies are born with CMV (congenital cmv
meaning born with it) in the U.S. yet there is very little awareness . CMV is
not tested for, screened or even discussed with pregnant women by their OB’s/
doctors, or pediatricians - women with young children are at high risk as
toddlers are usually carriers. 91% of women have never even heard of it before!
Unfortunately, despite this reality, CMV remains the most common infection
among babies born in the U.S.
