The nurse who was walking across part of Missouri announced this morning that she will not be continuing her walk.
Sherry Payne posted on her organization’s Facebook page that the RV she was using in her trek from Clinton to Augusta was hit in Jefferson City on Sunday night. While the driver of the other car is still unknown, Jefferson City Police Department confirmed that there were no injuries in the crash.
In her announcement on Facebook, Payne said she will still be presenting in Jefferson City and St. Louis later this week.
Original Story posted Monday, Sep 8, 2014 at 8:44AM by the Associated Press
A registered nurse is walking across a large swath of Missouri to draw attention to the higher than average infant mortality rate among black infants.
The Columbia Missourian reports that Sherry Payne is the founder of Uzazi Village, a nonprofit organization focused on improving maternal and infant health in urban areas. Her walk is taking her from Clinton to Augusta.
Studies show that although infant mortality rates are declining, racial disparities persist. In Boone County, the infant mortality rate for white babies is 5.4 per 1,000 live births. Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services data shows that's almost three times less than the infant mortality rate of 15.7 per 1,000 for their African-American counterparts.
Payne says she wants to restore vibrancy to the black family and her community.
