Approximately 400 people young and old will lace up their walking shoes in Vancouver on Sat., April 25 giving hope that every baby will have a healthy start.
They're walking and raising money to support March of Dimes funded research and programs to help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies.
Here's why:
• In an average week in Washington, 1,665 babies are born and 161 (9.7 percent) of them are preterm.
• Prematurity and birth defects together account for the majority of infant deaths, both in the first month and the first year of life.
• Prematurity can result in lifelong complications such as vision and hearing problems and neurological disabilities.
• More than four million babies were born last year and the March of Dimes helped each and every one through 75 years of research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs. The organization helps moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies.
Funds raised by March for Babies in Oregon and Southwest Washington help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, information for families experiencing a newborn intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies. Premature birth is the most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today. It affects nearly half a million babies each year, including 8,372 in Washington.
For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. Find out how you can help raise funds to prevent premature birth and birth defects by walking in March for Babies at www.marchforbabies.org.
Locally March for Babies is sponsored by First Tech Federal Credit Union, Big 5, PeaceHealth SW Medical Center, Davidson Insurance, Heritage Bank, 99.5 The Wolf, 105.1 The Buzz and 97.1 Charlie FM. The 2015 March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Famous Footwear, Macy's, Cigna, United Airlines and Mission Pharmacal.
