Since my Bid Day, I have always been a proud sister of Sigma Sigma Sigma. I loved my sisterhood, the unconditional support, and the desire we each have to better our community. Yet, I have found a further appreciation for Tri Sigma after the announcement of our new philanthropic partner, March of Dimes.

The mission of the March of Dimes, founded in 1958 by Franklin D. Roosevelt, is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Premature birth is the leading killer of America's newborns. Those who survive often have lifelong health problems, including cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities, chronic lung disease, blindness and hearing loss. Why do I love the March of Dimes? My brother was born prematurely.

I cannot give you the entire story, because there are not enough words in the English language to grasp its magnitude. This story is, of course, not my own, so snippets from my mother are italicized. This article is also not her entire story - as the telling of it in its entirety is not something I have ever been able to accomplish. My words are simply an interpretation of a story that I have always been inspired by - the story that showed me the power of familial bonds and sea turtles.

I was 20-years-old and so excited to be pregnant for the first time. I had vowed to be the perfect pregnant woman. I stopped smoking, didn’t drink caffeine, ate three full meals and three snacks, walked daily and even stopped dyeing my hair. I loved being pregnant. Every doctor’s appointment was an event that my husband and I looked forward to and were excited for. On April 20^th 1993 the doctor alerted us to some problems with the pregnancy and sent us to a specialist. It was decided then that I was to go on bed rest for 2 weeks and we would then reevaluate. I was 24 weeks pregnant.On May 5^th I spent most of the day on a contraction monitor and was cleared to go to an Elton John concert on the 6^th - as long as we drove straight there, straight back and I sat in my seat the entire time. While getting dressed, I realized I was having contractions.

Though lack of proper prenatal care can lead to your child being born prematurely, perfect prenatal care doesn't make you immune. It is important to stay in contact with a health care specialist throughout your pregnancy.

On May 10^th there was no more stopping our son. He was born at 23:24 the day after Mother’s Day. His first APGAR score was 1. He was blue, he did not make a sound or have any reaction to the outside world. The doctor held him up for me to see and then disappeared to the other side of the room.He needed an immediate blood transfusion. His hearing would never be 100%. He was more than likely going to be blind due to the amount of oxygen that was having to be administered in his isolet. His brain activity would not be able to be measured until he was several months if not years old - if he made it that far.

The aforementioned complications are only a fraction of those faced by my brother, and all the while his life was in danger. At this point in the story, you might be wondering how an excited, newlywed couple handled the transition from hopes of a bouncing, baby boy to the realization that their child would need considerate medical attention - so much, that they were not allowed to name him on the day he was born. I give you the analogy that shaped my entire existence:

Doctors continued to explain procedures and his situation to us. I was exhausted-mentally and physically. I did not understand what I was being told and I could not actively make decisions in my son’s care. Finally, the doctor who had been with me the first day stopped to explain it to me. He asked what I knew about sea turtles. To which I though he had gone as crazy as I had. He explained that a mother turtle spends a lot of effort to build the perfect nest to protect her babies. She then lays hundreds of eggs. She takes great care to cover the nest with sand so that they are as safe as possible. That is all the mother can do. Out of all of those eggs, maybe half hatch. Those then start the long struggle to the sea which cuts that number in half again. Some are gotten by predators, some get turned around, the struggle is too much for some and they simply expire on the beach, again lessening the number of sea turtles. When the few make it to the water, they then have to fight to get out to sea and survive an entire new set of predators and fight the ocean’s strong current so that they don’t end up back on shore. Only a handful of the original large number of eggs ever make it out to the open sea. This was an interesting story and I told the doctor thank you for sharing. He then put his hand on my arm and said, “Your son is a sea turtle.”

My brother faced challenge after challenge - so many of which I don't have the space to define. But, through those challenges he established a tradition. I was born to a family of sea turtles. Of fighters. Of game-changers. We defeat the odds. We challenge prejudices, and we constantly work to better ourselves. Our line of sea turtles began with my brother. He faced hardships right out of the gate and overcame them with unquestionable ferocity. March of Dimes is an organization that supports the sea turtles of the world.

Thus, I have further affirmation that Sigma Sigma Sigma is my home. Epsilon Theta is my chapter, and we are Faithful Unto Death. My sisters are sea turtles, and we are fighting for our cause. I know that my sisters are as excited as I am to strive to advocate our two philanthropies: The Sigma Foundation and March of Dimes. I hope that everyone who is able helps us in our efforts.