Progress is being made to save the lives of mothers and newborns around the world. Still, every minute, a woman dies of complications in pregnancy and childbirth, leaving her baby more likely to die within two years. Most of these deaths could be prevented. Join The Huffington Post and the Mothers Day Every Day campaign in the global movement to call upon world leaders to invest in health workers and strengthen health systems so that every day, everywhere in the world, all women and newborns have access to lifesaving care.
When I was a child, I would bring flowers to my mother and say a special prayer for her on Mother's Day. I would tell her I loved her and that I missed her very much. Sadly I could only visit her at the cemetery because my mother died when I was three years old. And although I was blessed to live in a loving environment with my father, my maternal grandparents and an extended family that helped to raise me, I profoundly felt her loss. Without my mother, there was a hole in my heart. And her absence was felt by our entire family.
As an adult, I looked forward to getting married, having children, and celebrating Mother's Day as a mom. But I wasn't prepared for the challenges of multiple miscarriages and the premature birth and loss of one of my children. I was, however, very fortunate to live in the United States and have access to skilled health care providers who helped me manage the challenges of complicated pregnancies and ultimately make it through two safe deliveries.
Celebrating my first Mother's Day became a long-awaited dream come true. I felt the presence of my own mother and believed she was my guardian angel watching over me that day and every day. For the first time I understood the pain she must have felt knowing she would not survive to take care of her children and see them grow up.
When I learned that every minute of every day a woman somewhere in the developing world dies in pregnancy or childbirth, I immediately thought about the devastating loss for the children, families and communities they leave behind.
This is why I have joined the Mothers Day Every Day campaign. Now it's my turn to be a guardian angel for mothers who need basic care and a skilled health worker at her side during this important event in her and her child's life. Every mother deserves access to decent care for a healthier pregnancy and safer delivery. And every child needs their mother to help them live healthier and happier lives.
I am grateful to the White Ribbon Alliance and CARE for establishing the Mothers Day Every Day campaign to raise awareness about the challenges facing mothers and newborns all over the world and for giving women who are blessed, as I am, an opportunity to help our sisters from Afghanistan to Zambia.
In my professional life, I have had the opportunity to travel the world as the Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush, and I have met wonderful people from all sectors of society -- government officials, private sector and foundation representatives, faith-based groups, NGOs, and volunteers -- who are working together and forming effective partnerships to improve the lives of others. As an American, I am proud of programs like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President's Malaria Initiative that are saving many lives and helping the most vulnerable citizens -- women and children.
These and other assistance programs are crucial to addressing the challenges of poverty and disease that prevent economies from developing and providing better lives for their citizens. In these times of economic uncertainty, recipients of this aid worry about the future of these commitments. It is uplifting to know that our generosity and compassion can save lives and I hope that we will continue to help them.
Organizations like CARE and the White Ribbon Alliance help all of us understand that investing in health and education is key to achieving sustainable progress in the developing world. They are teaching us that protecting the health and life of a mother is at the heart of a healthy family and a thriving community.
Their good work is making it possible that mothers everywhere will have a better chance of celebrating a healthy and happy life every day.
The White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood and CARE, two organizations at the forefront of global women's health issues, have joined Secretary Donna Shalala and UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman and a distinguished group of advocates to promote Mothers Day Every Day, a campaign that raises awareness and advocates for greater U.S. leadership to improve maternal and newborn health globally. To learn more, visit www.mothersdayeveryday.org.
Check out the rest of our Countdown to Mother's Day series by clicking here