Detroit -- Looking for something different than the usual flowers to show mom how much you cherish her this Mother’s Day on May 13? Join the #MYDMomsMatter Campaign.

Comedian Louie Anderson has teamed up with Make Your Date, a charity based in Detroit dedicated to ending premature birth and infant mortality, to celebrate Mother’s Day and provide support for local moms-to-be. Make Your Date – Detroit’s Plan to Reduce Preterm Birth, is featured in the three-time Emmy Award-winning comedian’s latest book, “Hey Mom: Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too,” available now nationwide. A portion of every book sold will be donated back to Make Your Date.

In it, Anderson, a stand-up comic and the star of the FX television series “Baskets,” dedicates a chapter to Make Your Date and his experiences headlining the annual Stand Up for Make Your Date Celebration, scheduled this year for November in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month.

Anderson has been a staunch supporter of Make Your Date, and a champion for healthy moms and babies, since its inception in 2014.  “Make Your Date saves lives. Healthier babies will be born into the world. Pretty fantastic,” Anderson said.

“Make Your Date Detroit has made a significant difference in the lives of moms and babies in Detroit,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, “Every step of the way, Louie Anderson has shown his continued support for the Program.”

Make Your Date is dedicated to making sure Detroit’s expecting mothers have everything they need to make their due date. While the sorrows of premature births can affect anyone, those facing inaccessible health care and a lack of support and services encounter an even higher risk for an early delivery. Make Your Date provides increased access to care and education in an underserved population of pregnant women.

Last month, U.S. News and World Report wrote about the initiative, which provides resources including free prenatal education, the latest in pregnancy care, transportation to medical appointments, as well as constant contact and support throughout pregnancy and more.

“We are grateful to Louie for recognizing our program in this very special book to his mother” said Make Your Date Director Sonia Hassan, M.D., the associate dean for Maternal, Perinatal and Child Health at the Wayne State University School of Medicine and a professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology’s Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, “Make Your Date’s mission on Mother’s Day, and every day, is to support moms and their babies to get the best care possible and achieve a healthy pregnancy outcome.”

Joining the #MYDMomsMatter Campaign is easy. Follow the steps below to show a mom just how much you appreciate her by giving the gift of reading, which also comes with the rare time to herself, and plenty of laughs as well. At the same time, you (and she) will be helping a mom and her unborn baby.

Join the #MYDMomsMatter Campaign

• Step 1: Donate to Make Your Date in honor of a mother at warriorfunder.wayne.edu/project/6584
• Step 2: Purchase an autographed copy of “Hey Mom, Stories for My Mother, But You Can Read Them Too." A portion of every book sold will be donated to Make Your Date.
• Step 3: Post on social media using the hashtag #MYDMomsMatter, with a tribute to a mom.  Make sure to tag @MakeYourDate in your post.

“Detroit’s Make Your Date program is critical to MDHHS achieving its vision of Zero Preventable Deaths and Zero Disparities,” said Lynette Biery, director of MDHHS’ Bureau of Family Health Services. “Their efforts to help connect moms with prenatal care will ultimately help reduce the number of babies born prematurely, and improve the health of both moms and babies.”

“DMC believes that access to quality health care is the right of every human being, and this program helps prevent premature births by giving pregnant women the support and medical interventions they need to 'make their due date',” said Scott Steiner, FACHE, CEO of DMC Detroit Receiving, DMC Harper University and DMC Hutzel Women's hospitals. “Healthy moms and healthy babies are how we form healthier communities and, ultimately, a healthier Detroit.”

Anderson has been a champion for moms and babies in Detroit since the start of the program in 2014, headlining the Stand Up for Make Your Date Celebration held annually in Detroit.  This year’s celebration will be held in November, in honor of Prematurity Awareness Month. Stay tuned for details!

Anderson has channeled his beloved mom in his stand-up routine for decades, but she died before seeing him reach his greatest heights, culminating in his breakout TV role as Christine Baskets, the mesmerizing character inspired by his mom, Ora Zella Anderson. The book is Anderson’s way of catching her up on his triumphs, disappointments and continuing challenges. There is heartache, but also great hope. There are also laugh-out-loud stories and observations on life’s absurdities.

Make Your Date has expanded to several new sites in Detroit. With new collaborations and partnerships, Make Your Date is on track to reach more than 10,000 pregnant women by the end of 2018. For more information about our program, go to makeyourdate.org/.

About the Detroit Medical Center

The Detroit Medical Center operates eight hospitals and institutes, including Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Detroit Receiving Hospital, Harper University Hospital, Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital, Hutzel Women’s Hospital, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, Sinai-Grace Hospital and DMC Heart Hospital. The Detroit Medical Center is a leading regional health care system with a mission of excellence in clinical care, research and medical education. The Detroit Medical Center is proud to be the Official Healthcare Services Provider of the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings. For more information, visit dmc.org. "Like" us on Facebook at facebook.com/dmcheals, follow us on Twitter at @dmc_heals or check out our YouTube page.

About Wayne State University

Wayne State University is one of the nation's preeminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit research.wayne.edu.