The infant mortality rate for Geary County was rated at 5.7 for 2017, up just slightly from 5.4. Both numbers are significantly better than the 10.4 rate in 2011 when Geary County had one of the highest rates in the state.

Jill Nelson, Program Coordinator for Delivering Change, noted they will keep working at this effort. “I think we’re going to review our cases and see what our local data is telling us, making sure that we are adjusting what we know is happening here on the local level. ” They will continue to raise awareness. “Making sure that women are getting into care since they have positive pregnancy tests, that they’re actually healthy before they even think about becoming pregnant, and then continuing to engage in prenatal care throughout their pregnancy.”

This month Delivering Change and the Geary County Health Department are partnering to shine a light on this topic. Free pink and blue light bulbs are available at the Health Department and Delivering Change offices. Families are encouraged to switch out a porch light for a pink or blue light in remembrance of lost pregnancies and babies gone too soon, and in support of the Wave of Light on October 15th.

In the Wave of Light on the 15th participants in countries around the world will light a candle at 7 p.m. local time, keeping the candles lit for at least an hour. The goal is for the Wave of Light to rise and propagate around the world for the whole day.

This week the Junction City Commission and Geary County Commission have adopted proclamations declaring October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month in the city and county.