This July I’ll be participating in one of the grandest cycling events of the year – L’Etape du Tour de France. For avid (yet average) cyclists, this is as big as it gets. 81 miles through the scenic – and brutal – French Alps. As if the distance and the 5 epic mountains aren't enough, I'll have to struggle through the route after having lost the upper half of my left lung to a rare type of tumor. But it'll be worth it, as I’ll be there in support of my friends at The Iris Fund.
The Iris Fund was created in loving memory of Iris Crystal Aleman who was born and passed away due to prematurity on July 15, 2017. In the days following her death, her parents wanted to learn more about what causes preterm birth and ways to prevent it. They were stunned to learn that obstetricians do not fully understand the mechanisms that start the onset of normal labor leading to childbirth. Even less is known about what triggers preterm labor leading to a baby that is born premature – like Iris. Whether a family is having a normal or high-risk pregnancy, all families deserve to know these basic answers and have effective interventions that will prevent preterm birth.
Iris Crystal Aleman’s legacy is one where we strive to create a world where no babies should have to die or have complicated lives – suffering life-long mental and physical disabilities – due to prematurity. Currently, nearly half a million babies are born premature each year – a number equal to the population of Atlanta, GA. The cost of prematurity to society, stemming from the lifelong issues associated with preterm birth, is an estimated $30 billion.
