Group B Strep International

Our Mission and Goals

The mission of Group B Strep International (GBSI) is to promote international awareness and prevention of Group B Strep disease in babies before birth through early infancy.  Our goal is to be a central resource for GBS information in a variety of languages for both the general public and medical professionals.  The scope of our mission includes actively supporting the GBS awareness and prevention efforts of individuals and organizations on a community or national level.

Group B Strep International’s focus includes all stages of a baby’s development in which they are susceptible to GBS infection.  This ranges from unborn babies in the first trimester to infants up to six months of age.

Our History

Group B Strep International was formed in April 2006 by John MacDonald and Marti Perhach who each lost a daughter to group B strep (GBS). Both John and Pam MacDonald’s daughter, Hannah, and Chris and Marti Perhach’s daughter, Rose, were stillborn full-term.  Both deaths were fully preventable, inspiring John and Marti to promote GBS awareness and prevention on a national level throughout the United States first with the Jesse Cause before branching off to form Group B Strep International as a sister organization to expand the scope and audience of this campaign.

Our Accomplishments

GBSI continues to:

• Sponsor July as International Group B Strep Awareness Month as observed on the US National Health Observance Calendar.
• Promote recognition of ways in which babies can become infected by various microorganisms before birth. GBSI also sponsors February as International Prenatal Infection Month on the US National Health Observance Calendar.
• Promote recognition of the term "prenatal-onset GBS disease" which GBSI introduced at the CDC's 2009 protocol change meeting for GBS prevention. This term was recognized in the CDC's 2010 MMWR which is significant as previously there was no term recognizing pregnancy as a distinct time when babies can become infected by GBS.
• Present and exhibit at various medical conferences around the world.

 

Group B Strep International welcomes your support in our campaign to promote complete GBS awareness and prevention around the world, in memory and honor of all the babies and the families whose lives have been changed by GBS.

Group B Strep International is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) public benefit corporation under the State of California.