Blog

Expanding the Conversation: How Medical Influencers Helped Us Reach New Audiences During CMV Awareness Month

Author: Megan Pesch, MD Every June, National CMV Awareness Month allows us to talk about congenital cytomegalovirus cCMV)—what it is, why it matters, and what families and healthcare professionals need to know.

Speech and Language Challenges in Children with Congenital CMV

Author: Sean McKenzie New Study. Many children with cCMV, even those without hearing loss, have speech and language difficulties.

Community Alliance Chair Spotlight: Ellie Pryor

Author: Ellie Pryor, Community Alliance Chair Oklahoma

When Ellie's son was diagnosed with congenital CMV just four days after birth, her family entered a world of uncertainty, long drives to specialized care, and countless decisions about intervention and support. In this installment of our "Geography Shouldn't Matter" spotlight series, Ellie shares how early intervention helped her son thrive, the barriers rural families often face when seeking care, and why every child deserves access to the same opportunities, resources, and support—regardless of their zip code.
 

Community Alliance Chair Spotlight: Elizabeth deLoach, South Carolina

Author: Elizabeth deLoach AVT South Carolina CCA, Elizabeth deLoach tells how she got involved with the National CMV Foundation

Community Alliance Chair Spotlight: Shelly Zappas, California

Author: Shelly Zappas, NP Shelly Zappas, California Community Alliance Chair, shares her story of being a nurse practitioner, cCMV mom and advocate

Community Alliance Chair Spotlight: Haley Childs, Michigan

Author: Haley Childs, CCA Michigan Community Alliance Chair, Haley Childs shares her and her triplet's story with congenital CMV and how she turned to advocacy

​Why Zip Code Shouldn’t Dictate a Child’s Future: The Case for the Stop CMV Act

Author: Andy Jones, President, National CMV Foundation We need to tell our lawmakers that when it comes to infant health, equity is non-
negotiable. No family should have to look back and realize their child’s developmental
delays could have been prevented if they had simply given birth in a different zip code.

CMV Awareness Month 2026 - Geography Shouldn't Decide

Author: Megan Pesch, MD - Interim Executive Director Geography shouldn’t decide who gets screened for cCMV. Geography shouldn’t decide who receives cCMV education. Geography shouldn’t decide which children are identified early and which families are left searching for answers.

Research Update - Universal CMV Screening

Author: Sean P. McKenzie CMV dad, Sam McKenzie reviews two recent studies published in JAMA journals about universal congenital CMV screening.

Navigating the Costs of Congenital CMV Care: What Families Should Know

Author: Amanda Devereaux RN, Debra Ellis BSN, Gina Liverseed RN and Megan Pesch MD As more states adopt congenital CMV (cCMV) newborn screening, families are gaining access to earlier diagnosis, timely monitoring, and supportive care. But for some, the excitement of having answers is quickly overshadowed by an unexpected challenge: medical costs.