Michelle Tate

They say that when you become a mother, you leave a piece of your heart outside your body. For me, I had to physically leave my heart behind in the hospital—twice.

I am a mother of three beautiful children, but out of my three births, I only experienced the joy of walking out of the hospital doors with my baby in my arms one time. My other two babies arrived far too soon—one at 35 weeks, and my youngest as a 28-week micro-preemie. Instead of taking them home to a finished nursery, I left them behind in the glow of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), surrounded by wires, monitors, and the terrifying uncertainty of prematurity.

The trauma of being separated from your newborn, of navigating the complex world of the NICU while recovering from birth yourself, is an experience no family should have to endure. Yet, it is an experience that is happening at an epidemic rate, particularly to Black mothers and their babies.

I am walking and raising funds for the March of Dimes because my story is part of a much larger, systemic crisis. Right now, there is a devastating maternal and infant health epidemic disproportionately claiming the lives and health of Black women and our children:

• The Premature Birth Epidemic: In the United States, the preterm birth rate for Black infants remains distressingly high at 14.7%, meaning roughly 1 in 7 Black babies is born too early. The preterm birth rate among Black mothers is nearly double the national average.
• The Maternal Health Crisis: Giving birth as a Black woman in America comes with terrifying risks. The CDC recently reported that the maternal mortality rate for Black mothers remains nearly three times higher than that of white mothers, with recent 2025 and 2026 data showing 44.8 to 50 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births for Black women. In rural areas, like parts of my home state of Georgia, those disparities are even more pronounced.

These are not just statistics; they are our sisters, our daughters, our friends, and our babies. These disparities persist across all income and education levels, pointing to deep-rooted systemic inequities that we must fight to change.​

I walk to fund the research, advocacy, and programs that the March of Dimes supports to end preventable preterm birth and close the health equity gap. I walk to ensure that one day, no mother has to leave the hospital with empty arms, and every baby gets the healthy, full-term start they deserve.

Please consider donating to my page. Together, we can fight for the health of all moms and babies.