Livy Werner's Story & CMV Awareness
Mid South is truly a family-centered company. We share things that are happening in our lives. We lift one another up in prayer. We celebrate and grieve together.
If I sent out an email every time someone in our company got bad news, lost a loved one, or became ill, the emails would certainly be overwhelming. However, I recently heard of the journey one of our therapists is facing. She and her precious family need our love and support, and there are ways we can help her and others who face the illness they have now come to know.
Mary-Kathrine, OTR/L, and Kyle Werner welcomed Livy Werner into this world, never dreaming she would soon test positively for congenital CMV, or Cytomegalovirus. This disease is not widely known or publicized. However, 1 out of every 150 to 200 babies are born with this disease, and only about 9 percent of women have even heard of it. Babies born with CMV can have birth defects and developmental disabilities including microcephaly, vision loss, mental disability, seizure disorders, and feeding issues just to name a few. One in three pregnant women will pass this virus to their unborn child, and women are not routinely screened for CMV during pregnancy. Thankfully, Livy has passed many of her tests over the past few years, as she has participated in a research study at Children’s Le Bonheur since she was 3 months old. Livy has been diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss in both ears due to CMV.
Mary-Kathrine feels compelled because of her personal experience with this disease to raise awareness about it, informing others and helping future and current parents with the same struggles she and her family have faced so bravely.
June is CMV Awareness Month, and Mary-Kathrine is raising money to donate to the National CMV Association by selling t-shirts. This is an opportunity that Mid South wanted to share, making all of our friends, partners, and employees aware that they can support this cause if they feel inclined to do so. T-shirts may be purchased with PayPal, credit, or debit cards. To purchase a t-shirt, click here.
We wish the Werner family all the best as they face this virus, and we hope they always know and feel the love and support of their Mid South family.