Sara Moscarelli

I joined the March of Dimes movement to create positive change for moms and babies everywhere, especially those most at risk.

My pregnancy was full of constant nausea and exhaustion - which essentially meant I slept a lot and ate only cereal while somehow working full-time. However, this was nothing compared to when my water unexpectedly broke at 26 weeks on December 5th for reasons unknown. This also happened to be my father-in-law’s birthday, and our first birthday without him with us on Earth. To say that our concern and sadness was high that day is an understatement. I was transferred from WakeMed North Raleigh to the main campus of WakeMed that evening where I would live for up to 8 weeks in the antepartum unit until they would induce our daughter at 34 weeks. 

When the NICU team came to visit me on my 2nd day in the hospital, the doctor said to me “if we can just get you to 28 weeks I’ll feel a lot better but we’re going for 34”. Now, I’ve never been one to half-ass a goal or to not follow orders, so I was determined to do whatever I could to make sure I got to 34 weeks. The problem? I had zero control. Everything was in the hands of God and my medical team. So that December meant brief moments of joy thanks to my humorous and steadfast husband and support system, ongoing bouts of nausea, many hours of television, and a painfully steady stream of anxiety-filled thoughts: Would I go into labor at any moment? If I did, would my baby survive? Would I? Would my baby have long-term health complications? 

When a nearly inevitable infection in my placenta led to me going into labor at 29 weeks and 5 days (turns out those pains from my barely eaten MoJoe’s burger weren’t from gas), the anxiety and fear only intensified. That next day, on New Years’ Eve of 2022, our 2-pound 11ounce, 14-inch baby girl Josephine Margaret Moscarelli, formerly “Baby Mozz” and most often now called Joey, was born surrounded by a team of all-female doctors and nurses and God’s grace and care. As a nurse yelled “quick – kiss your baby, kiss your baby” before she was whisked away, we quickly entered the next phase of this surreal time. 

Thanks to the advancements made in science and technology, my daughter was able to mimic those last two months of growth and strength in the womb in a large incubator in the NICU of WakeMed. During that time, we were surrounded by the most knowledgeable and compassionate support in our care teams and loved ones, and we became increasingly in awe of the magic of modern medicine. Day after day we would watch babies come in and out of the NICU - sometimes just tiny babies, sometimes very sick babies - and with each we witnessed the improvements they could make with medicines, tubes, giant machines, and the strong hands and hearts of nurses, providers, respiratory therapists, and more on the care teams. Thanks to these advancements and our team, our Joey was not only saved at 29 weeks, but she was able to grow and thrive and leave the NICU at 37 weeks with no breathing or feeding support. Is she the result of a miracle from God? Absolutely. But I also recognize that some of His power came through the medical advancements and brilliant minds of those who cared for our daughter and the many babies before us to get us to this point. And for that, our Joey girl is now 2-years-old and experiencing no developmental delays, obsessed with books, singing, dancing, art, climbing, and jumping.

I was lucky enough to be brought onto March of Dimes Mission Committee this past year thanks to a friend and colleague who was a NICU graduate over 30 years ago and I was reminded of how critical organizations like March of Dimes is, advocating for the research and support necessary to decrease the risk of maternal and infant health, ensuring families have the support like ours did. 

With preterm birth and maternal death rates continuing to rise, increasing inequities in care, and with ongoing funding challenges to save these lives, I’m committed to raising funds so that every family gets the best possible start like ours did. But I need your help.  

Please visit my fundraising page to make a donation. Together we’ll be part of a movement to make the US a more equitable place and ensure that every mom and baby is healthy.