Lanie Taylor Pontz

“A wife who loses a husband is called a widow. A husband who loses a wife is called a widower. A child who loses his or her parents is called an orphan. But there is no word for a parent who loses a child—that’s how awful the loss is.” — Neugeboren

Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small, or very sick. Too many families experience the unimaginable pain of losing a child to conditions we still cannot fully predict or prevent. Our family knows this heartbreak intimately.

We are walking in the March for Babies because we want to change that. For more than 75 years, the March of Dimes has led breakthroughs in prenatal care, prevented birth defects, advanced research on prematurity, and supported families through their most vulnerable moments.

Our first son, Jake, was born too soon. We were blessed to be his parents, even for a short time. Our youngest son, Sawyer, went to sleep one night and did not wake up. And now, we also walk in memory of their dad, Evan, whose dedication to the March of Dimes continues to inspire us. We walk in honor of our healthy twins, Fletcher and Alyssa, who benefitted from the very advances the March of Dimes has made possible.

This is why our team, Jake’s Journey & Sawyer’s Strides, walks—to honor Jake, Sawyer, and Evan, to celebrate Fletcher and Alyssa, and to help ensure that more families get the healthy beginnings they deserve.

And this year, your support goes even further. Northside Hospital in Atlanta—where all our children were born—is MATCHING every dollar we raise.
Every $1 you give becomes $2 for the March of Dimes.

Please consider supporting our team and helping us give all babies a healthier start. You can donate right on this page.

Thank you for walking with us, remembering with us, and helping us make a difference.