March of Dimes

Although most people have heard of the March of Dimes, many don't know that their focus and mission for the last 20 years has been fighting premaurity and birth defects so that every baby can be born healthy. Obviously this is an organization I fully support. They have helped get folic acid into whole grains for better prenatal nutrition, supported research that created Surfactant, a drug given to many preemies to help their lungs and their website provides a ton of great information for parents and would be parents.

Check out their website to find a lot of great articles and resources.

Every year the March of Dimes holds a national fundraiser - formerly called WalkAmerica, it is now called March for Babies. The money raised helps the March of Dimes:

• Fight for health insurance for all women and children
• Push for newborn screening that could save lives and prevent mental retardation
• Provide comfort and information to families with a newborn in the neonatal intensive care unit, or the NICU
• Support all-important Nobel Prize winning research offering hope for preventions and solutions for babies born too soon or with birth defects

Last year our family created a team and it was great. We raised money and did the walk in honor of both of our kids. It was a great event as we enjoyed meeting other families who had gone through simliar (and different) experiences and it really helped us feel like we were doing something to help other people.

Visit the March for Babies website to find out about this year's events and how to form a team. Over the last few years the number of family teams has been steadily increasing - I think it is an exciting sign that families who have been affected by prematurity or those that want to support a great cause for all babies are coming together and trying to do something to help.