2022-May-17
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Why We March
BY TIMIKA BOSTON & ANDREW CAROTHERS · UNITED STATES
WITH KRYSTAL CHENG
3 MINUTE READ · 5 MINUTE LISTEN
Preparing for the arrival of a new child can be stressful for anyone.
When faced with a medical complication or premature birth, it can turn a parent’s world upside down.
We know this firsthand based on our own families’ experiences.
It’s why we are walking in the March of Dimes’ March for Babies in our respective hometowns of Raleigh and San Jose.
The March of Dimes organization works to end preventable maternal risks and deaths, preterm birth and infant death, and close the health equity gap so every mom and baby is healthy.
We believe in this cause, and will continue to fight for the health of all babies and mothers each year.
Timika Boston’s story
My husband and I share three amazing children. While my first two pregnancies were without complication, my daughter Rheya was born at 24 weeks and weighed a minuscule one pound, four ounces.
There was no way to prepare for what we faced.Thanks to the advances in neonatal care and resources for babies born prematurely, our story had a happy ending.
Rheya underwent surgery on her underdeveloped heart and spent over five months in the newborn intensive care unit. She eventually came home without the breathing device she relied on during her stay.
Today she is a happy, healthy, and beautiful 14-year-old miracle. She even leads her own annual fundraising team in the March for Babies.
It was March of Dimes’ research, treatments, and emotional support that helped save her life and carried our family through our unexpected journey. This is why I walk every single year.
Andrew Carothers’ story
I was born with Rh disease — also called Rh incompatibility — which occurs when antibodies produced by the mother attack a baby’s red blood cells in utero.
Doctors induced my mother’s labor early. I underwent a complete blood transfusion at birth to save my life. Testing and preventative treatment are standard thanks to research and medicine funded by March of Dimes.
I’m also deeply concerned about the health equity gap.
It stems from a host of factors, including access to healthcare and misinformation in the medical profession. The March of Dimes works to overcome the impact of systemic racism on birth outcomes and maternal mortality, while identifying solutions to achieve health equity for all. This is why I walk every year.
Fundraising at Cisco
We are proud that Cisco set a goal of raising $1 million globally for the March of Dimes throughout 2022. The biggest fundraising push coincides with walks in U.S. cities now through the summer.
Joining a March for Babies as a team captain or member/walker is a great way to reconnect with your local Cisco colleagues you’ve missed while making a difference.
Cisco employees outside the U.S. can do a virtual walk, sponsor U.S. counterparts’ walks, and donate to a March for Babies Team.
All donations to March of Dimes go toward global medical research for cures and treatments, supporting new families with supplies and counseling, advocating for policy changes, and educating healthcare workers to overcome implicit bias.
Your support for the March of Dimes supports all people having babies.
Here are three ways you can get involved:
- Become a Team Captain for a local March for Babies event and walk with Cisco employees, friends, and family.
- Join an existing Cisco Team.
- Donate to a Cisco walker.
Together we can walk, raise money, create meaningful change, and save lives.
Join us in being part of a mother of a movement.
Employee Resources
- Employee and Family Assistance Program
- Join an Inclusive Community
- Global Wellbeing Community
- Join the #SafeToTalk Webex space
- Learning & Development
- Share your story
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