We all get the "this is something that I don't ordinarily do" emails and now it's my turn to send one out.
On Saturday, April 28th, I will be walking in the March of Dimes campaign "Walk America" I'm hoping to personally raise $1000.
Contributing to my walk online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.
The money we raise helps save premature and sick babies. Premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death and the biggest threat to babies’ health today, and through WalkAmerica, the March of Dimes is funding important research to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it.
I’ve joined with millions of compassionate people across the country who support WalkAmerica each year. Won’t you please help me in this worthy cause? Visit my webpage and sponsor me in the walk that saves babies!
With your support, there’s hope.
The March of Dimes was founded in 1938 By US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The original purpose was to raise money for polio research and to care for those suffering from the disease. The name emphasized the national, nonpartisan, and public nature of the new organization, as opposed to private foundations established by wealthy families. The effort began with a radio appeal, asking everyone in the nation to contribute a dime (10 cents) to fight polio.
Over the years, the name "March of Dimes" became synonymous with that of the charity and was officially adopted in 1979. After supporting the development of two successful vaccines against polio (both Jonas Salk's and Albert Sabin's research were partly funded by the March of Dimes), the organization, rather than going out of business, decided in 1958 to use its charitable infrastructure to serve mothers and babies with a new mission: to prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality. The organization accomplishes this with programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy.
Today in the USA, March of Dimes funds researchers working in biochemistry, microbiology, developmental biology, genetics, pediatrics, and many other fields. Along the way, it has helped support special neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) designed to treat the sickest babies; drug treatments to replace surgery for babies with a common heart defect; and folic acid education and food fortification to prevent neural tube defects, among other advances. Source: Wikipedia.com
Prenatal Statistics: An Average Week in North Carolina:
311 Babies are Born Preterm (before the 37th week of pregnancy)
58 Babies are born Very Preterm (less than 32 weeks)
208 Babies are born with a low birthrate (less than 5 1/2 pounds)
44 Babies are born with a very low birthrate (Less than 3 1/3 pounds)
Source: http://www.marchofdimes.com/northcarolina/northcarolina.asp
$100 could help 10 families with babies in neonatal intensive care learn how to care for their baby when he/she comes home.
$760 could provide prenatal care classes for 15 pregnant women.
$3,800 could fund a program to help 180 pregnant women quit smoking.
$150,000 could provide a research grant to study malfunctioning genes responsible for many birth defects.
$482,700 could provide a multi-year grant to study variations in genes of mothers and babies that might trigger premature birth.
You can visit my personal page here: http://www.walkamerica.org/pixeltickler.
There are several methods to pledge: You can donate through my personal page via credit card/debit card or via paypal
You can also register yourself to walk at http://www.walkamerica.org
For more information about the March of Dimes visit http://www.marchofdimes
Thank you for your support!
