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Advocating for Newborn CMV Screening through Hospital-Based Initiatives

Author: Maggie Kettler, AuD CMV newborn screening has increased tremendously in the past decade, with many states implementing the screening through legislative efforts. However, CMV screening legislation is not a realistic avenue in all states. In this blog post, we hear from Maggie Kettler, AuD, who has helped to lead successful efforts to increase CMV newborn screening in her home state of Ohio. In this post she discusses successes, challenges, and advice she has for advocates in other states. 

Early Career Research Award Recipient: Dr. Kakkar

Dr. Fatima Kakkar is a pediatric infectious disease specialist and clinician-researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine in Montreal and her research will focus on determining the best newborn screening test for the province of Quebec. She is one of our 2020 early career CMV research award recipients! 

Early Career Research Award Recipient: Jennifer Jenks

Jennifer Jenks is an MD PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program at Duke University School of Medicine and is one of our 2020 early career CMV research award recipients! Jennifer's research investigates the rational design of CMV vaccines.

Volunteer Spotlight: Samantha Isaacs

Meet Samantha Isaacs, our Community Alliance Chair from north Florida. Samantha is mom to four beautiful kiddos. Follow her blog to learn more about #HankStrong, Sunshine and Shattered Dreams!

Volunteer Spotlight: Megan Nix

Meet Megan Nix, our Community Alliance Chair from Denver, Colorado. Megan is mom to three girls and a nonfiction writer, we are lucky to have her in our corner!

Volunteer Spotlight: Erica Steadman

Meet Erica Steadman from Tinley Park, Illinois. Erica has three daughters and when she's not advocating for CMV, she's leading marketing efforts for American Sale Corporation.

Volunteer Spotlight: Ashley Maes

Meet Ashley Maes from Clovis, California. Ashley advocates for CMV in honor of her daughter, Ila.

Volunteer Spotlight: Lindsay Lawless

Meet Lindsay Lawless from Abington, Pennsylvania. Lindsay advocates for CMV in memory of her daughter, Wynne, and in honor of her two other children.

Congenital CMV Evaluation and Treatment and the COVID-19 Pandemic

In efforts to help limit the spread of SARS-CoV2 and minimize the risk of COVID-19 to patients, providers and staff, many governing bodies are categorizing essential and non-essential clinical guidelines to help with prioritization and planning. While maintaining and adjusting safety procedures that work best for each institution, state agency, and community is paramount, neonatal cytomegalovirus (CMV) screening, evaluation and treatment should continue to be performed per routine institutional protocols and considered essential patient care.

Volunteer Spotlight: Karri Grecco

Meet Karri Grecco. Karri is a full-time mother of three from Bel Air, Maryland. Her decade+ experience in caring for a child with CMV and proximity to DC make Karri a terrific advocate for the community!

Quarantined with Toddlers? COVID-19 is not the only virus to be aware of

With most states under specific quarantine directives, many are staying home managing young children and their individual needs, loads of school work, a mountain of household tasks, professional career demands and the emotional or physical strain of caring for loved ones during this time of great uncertainty. While COVID-19 is top of mind, pregnant women should also practice CMV prevention tips to reduce the risk of transmission of the most infectious cause of birth defects in the United States.