Mother and Child Alliance

01/12/2026

We’re boosting the signal on this new study shared by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. The results show that interventions focused on providing maternal-child health support can have a real impact on preventing vertical HIV transmission, as well as the overall health of moms and babies.

You can read the full study here: https://pedaids.org/resource/effectiveness-of-a-multi-component-facility-based-intervention-on-hiv-related-infant-and-maternal-outcomes/

01/09/2026

January is National Birth Defects Awareness Month! is a time to raise awareness and highlight efforts to improve the health of people living with these conditions across their lifespan. Some important facts:

• While birth defect is a medical term, it doesn’t mean that an individual is defective. It refers to health conditions that develop in a baby before birth.

• Birth defects are structural changes that can affect almost any part of the body and can cause lifelong health challenges.

• No two people living with birth defects are exactly alike. A community of support can help people with birth defects, no matter what experiences they are navigating. Everyone’s journey is unique, shaped by their specific condition, strengths, and the support system in place.

• As medical care improves, people with birth defects are living longer and healthier lives. Recent reports show that rates of infant deaths due to birth defects have declined by 10% in the US!

• Not all birth defects can be prevented; however, research shows that certain behaviors and health choices can reduce the risk of having a baby born with a birth defect.

For more information, visit the National Birth Defects Prevention Network's site at: https://nbdpn.org/national-birth-defects-awareness-month/

01/08/2026

In case you’re looking for dates to circle on your brand-new 2026 calendar: this year's edition of Lip Sync for Life takes place on Thursday, March 5! Our fabulous friends at DIFFA/Chicago - Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS/Chicago will once again be hosting their annual lip sync battle at Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave).

Grab your ticket now for an event that always puts the FUN in fundraiser! Individuals and teams from the Chicagoland community will be competing with pre-recorded performances to win the LSFL 2026 crown. The audience will be able to donate toward their favorites to help crown DIFFA’s 2026 Lip Sync For Life Winner!

The money raised for DIFFA Chicago’s Excellence in Care grants supports Chicagoland service agencies (including MACA!) that are helping those affected and living with HIV/AIDS. Help Illinois by 2030!

To learn more about the event, sign up your team, purchase your ticket and RSVP, visit https://diffachicago.org/lip-sync-for-life/

01/05/2026

January is Cervical Health Awareness Month! Each year, more than 13,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the US. Yet cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers today.

In most cases cervical cancer can be prevented through early detection and treatment of abnormal cell changes that occur in the cervix years before cervical cancer develops.

Learn about how we can prevent cervical cancer by visiting the NCCC-National Cervical Cancer Coalition online: https://www.nccc-online.org/

01/02/2026

Our executive director Anne Statton helped wrap up 2025 in style by participating in the Chicago Sport and Social Club (chicagosocial.com) New Year's Eve 5K, along with a festive group of friends and family members — including her sisters Laurie and Kersti, brother-in-law Bill, nephew Patrick and niece Kate, and friend Jo!

Happy New Year from all of us at MACA! We're wishing you a safe, healthy, and happy 2026. 🎉

12/31/2025

MACA’s year in review, part three! In 2025, members of our team shared their knowledge and expertise in protecting maternal and infant health by giving live presentations at conferences in two different cities — as well as coauthoring a brand-new journal article!

In January, members of Team MACA traveled to Atlanta to take part in the CityMatCH Task Force Summit, where they shared presentations on preventing perinatal HIV and congenital syphilis. Participants included our exec director Anne Statton, perinatal data manager Iyesha Duckworth, case management supervisor Dr. Erie Crawford, and past board member Dr. Emily Miller.

In September, Iyesha traveled to St. Louis with our perinatal analyst Evelyn Hermoza, where they spoke at the CityMatCH Maternal and Child Health Leadership Conference. Both presentations discussed the innovative work that’s being done in Illinois to solve the congenital syphilis crisis.

Additionally, several members of our Perinatal Syphilis Warmline team were among the coauthors of a brand-new article published in the September issue of Pregnancy, the official journal of the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine.

Entitled “Prevention of congenital syphilis: The current state of legislation and public health guidelines,” the article examined current challenges in diagnosis and treatment of congenital syphilis, the role played by screening guidelines and legislation, and various initiatives that can help provide an effective public health response to the crisis — including the Illinois Perinatal Syphilis Warmline.

Want to help us protect the health of moms and babies across Illinois? As we head into a new year, your support matters more than ever. You can make a donation of any size to our fundraiser here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/30/2025

Year in review, part two! In celebration of MACA’s 25th anniversary, we held a gala event at The Arbory that included a heartfelt tribute to our founder Dr. Pat Garcia, a performance by Lily Be, delicious refreshments, a wine pull, a paddle raise, and even some funky dancing to cap the night off!

We’re grateful to Lula Cafe and Casa Humilde Cervecería for superb refreshments, Qiana Turner and Madison Elyse Events, LLC, auctioneer Nicole Kawell, DJ Harsh Chicago, and Ronit Bezalel photography as well as sponsors & prize donors including Walgreens, Lilliput Books, The Hopleaf, and The Neo-Futurists theater company!

Over the course of the evening, we highlighted a quarter-century of MACA’s successful work — creating a safety net that provides life-changing support for moms with HIV, and helps make sure that babies are born free of HIV and perinatal infections like congenital syphilis across Illinois.

We’re proud that in recent years, the number of babies born with HIV in Illinois has been zero or close to zero. But all of these efforts depend on the amazing supporters who empower MACA’s work, like you! As we embark on our next 25 years, please consider donating to our end-of-year fundraiser to keep MACA going strong in 2026 and beyond.

Chip in any amount here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/26/2025

Year in review, part one! 2025 was MACA’s 25th anniversary, and we had another high-energy year for events where we broke a sweat to raise funds for keeping moms and babies healthy. In September, Team MACA turned out in force for AIDS Run & Walk Chicago on a gloriously sunny day, and raised more than $4,500!

Back in May, our perinatal analyst Evelyn Hermoza organized a Zumbathon with her fellow Zumba instructor Sarah that raised more than $250 for our Dolores Benton Fund—which provides emergency support for the families we serve!

And as always, our exec director Anne Statton participated in a slew of events to raise funds for MACA and other worthy causes throughout the year, including the Stan’s Donut Run, Bike the Drive, Cinco de Miler, the Chicago Triathlon, and too many others to list in a single post!

Here in the present, our end-of-year fundraiser is going strong! We’re seeking to raise $7,500 so we can keep providing life-changing support to moms with HIV and their families, in 2026 and beyond.

Can you help us meet our goal? Donate any amount here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/23/2025

This time of year can be especially tough for moms with HIV. The holidays add to the stress of providing essentials like food and clothing for their families. This is where you can help. Year-end gifts to MACA help us support moms and make sure they can embrace the season with dignity and joy.

The good news is that thanks to amazing supporters like you, so far we’ve raised almost 20% of our $7,500 goal for our end-of-year fundraiser. But we still have a way to go. Can you help us close the gap so we can ring in a brighter new year for MACA moms in 2026?

Your end-of-year gift to MACA can provide:

🍼 Critical supplies like diapers, formula, clothing, and food for families in need.
🌟 Access to education and resources that empower mothers to build stronger futures.
💕 Safe and nurturing environments for children to grow and flourish.

Every dollar makes a difference. Let’s make the holidays a little brighter for those who need it most!

🎁 Donate to our fundraiser here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

12/19/2025

Here’s some fantastic news. UNAIDS writes: “Great news! Brazil has received World Health Organization certification for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV & syphilis. UNAIDS congratulates Brazil on this milestone, driven by universal health care, protection of human rights & adequate and fair access to medicines.”

At MACA, we’re joining in with UNAIDS to congratulate Brazil on this impressive achievement. This is a call to action for the United States, as well as countries around the world, to reach this goal as well.

Read the full news release here:
https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/pressreleaseandstatementarchive/2025/december/20251218_emtct

12/17/2025

Something that always helps light up the holiday season for us is hearing from the wonderful folks at the Albert Pick Jr, Fund. This year the Pick Fund has once again awarded MACA a generous grant to help us keep our lights on and our doors open, so we can continue helping moms and babies stay healthy throughout Illinois.

The Albert Pick, Jr. Fund has been helping Chicagoans in need for more than 75 years! The fund was established in 1947 to provide disadvantaged Chicago residents with the tools they need to improve their lives. Mr. Pick was a businessman who started a chain that eventually grew to include 15 hotels. He and his wife Corinne were avid philanthropists, giving back to Chicago in all kinds of ways.

Want to help power our work? Consider making an end-of-the-year donation to MACA to ring in the new year and keep our lights on in 2026. Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/year-end-giving-for-maca-families

Credit for archival photo at left: University of Chicago Photographic Archive, apf1-06800, Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

12/15/2025

As 2025 draws to a close, we’ve set a goal to raise $7,500 by the end of the year. We’ve mentioned previously that MACA has been facing some serious funding cuts. We’re counting on you, the heroic supporters who empower MACA’s work, to stand with us and make sure that our work can continue without interruption.

You can be part of our 25-year success story of making sure that babies are born free of HIV and other perinatal infections, and that moms with HIV have the support they need to keep themselves and their babies healthy, throughout Illinois.

If you believe in MACA’s mission — if you’ve ever supported our work in the past, or simply want to keep our programs strong for 2026 and beyond, now is the *perfect* time to show your support and let us know you have our backs. We’re so grateful to everyone who makes this work possible!

Donate to our End-of-Year fundraiser here ...

Mother & Child Alliance (MACA) works to reinforce a strong safety net during and after pregnancy for pregnant people, new parents, and their babies. We focus on preventing HIV and other serious, costly pediatric infections by strengthening prenatal and postpartum systems of care.Through comprehe...