November, 2012

World AIDS day was first held in 1988 as the very first designated global health day. It’s now marked annually on December 1st to provide a worldwide opportunity to unite in the fight against HIV, support people living with HIV and commemorate those who’ve died. Currently, about 34 million people live with HIV. Almost 50% are women, 3.3 million are children and in developing countries where HIV/AIDS is rampant, most of them don’t know they’re infected. Often infected mothers will unknowingly transmit HIV/AIDs to their babies during childbirth or through breastfeeding but with proper treatment, an HIV positive mother's risk of passing the virus on to her child drops to 2%.

#GivingTuesday is a new-ish holiday tradition we think is brilliant. After a long weekend of feasting, football and shopping, #GivingTuesday provides an opportunity to give back. Instead of focusing on all the things we need, #GivingTuesday focuses our attention on all kinds of opportunities to share with those who need us most.

Only rarely in life do you meet someone who exemplifies what it means to be all you can be. Dr. Robert Porges, MD, OB-GYN was that person and more. Dr. Porges passed away during Hurricane Sandy from lymphoma. This Thanksgiving, we’re grateful we could call Dr. Porges a friend, mentor and partner in our efforts to improve maternal health around the world. Through his example of a life well lived, Dr. Porges taught us that Every Moment Counts.

It’s easy to find your gratitude when you’ve had a really great year. It’s harder when you’ve had a tough one. That’s why we’re so inspired by our friends, Jen and Linda, who survived Hurricane Sandy, but lost a home and a business. Despite losing it all, they’ve had no trouble finding their gratitude.