For the Babies
My little girl is a lot like me- she LOVES her babies. She loves playing Mommy and loves holding her babies and dressing them and feeding them and making sure ALL OF THEM are in the bed with her and they are ALL COVERED UP with the blanket that they ALL have to share before she will go to sleep.
I can’t say I too much blame her, I have a soft spot for babies and children myself. So when my dear friend Collin Holder was named the local Director for the March of Dimes I was ecstatic. For those of you not aware, the March of Dimes is a national organization committed to the well being of expectant mothers and their babies. I learned in my Leadership Macon class that the State of Georgia has one of the highest rates of women dying in child birth in the US (I don’t remember the exact numbers please pardon me)- and by the way, the United States as a whole isn’t faring well. From Amnesty International ” [i]t’s more dangerous to give birth in the United States than in 49 other countries”. We rank 50th.
50th. Really?! How can that even be possible in the United States? That statistic is from 2011- so don’t y’all try and get political on me and try to blame the Affordable Care Act (not that it could have had that quick of an effect anyway but I digress). On top of that, nearly half a million babies are born prematurely. I have a hard time grasping that fact with today’s modern medicine.
This is unacceptable. Luckily, we have an organization like the March of Dimes to help.
So- how can YOU help? From the March of Dimes press release:
On April 12, 2014 at Central City Park in Macon, hundreds of families and business leaders will join together in the March of Dimes’ annual March for Babies—the nation’s oldest walk fundraiser honoring babies born healthy and those who need help to survive and thrive.
This year’s Bibb County’s Ambassador Child is Parker Tortorella. His parents know first-hand how quickly life can change when a normal pregnancy turns into a preterm delivery. Parker was born ten weeks early. He arrived weighing only 2 lbs and 10 oz. Parker spent 30 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) before being released. Today, Parker is a vibrant 8 year old little boy, and the Tortorella family is dedicated to making sure every parent has the same happy ending.
The Bibb County March for Babies is being held this year at a new location. We are proud to host the walk at Macon’s Ocmulgee Heritage Trail. This location allows residents to easily attend the walk and then spend the afternoon enjoying the county’s natural beauty while walking along the Ocmulgee River! We invite everyone to come out and support March for Babies!!
Registration for the walk will begin at 8 a.m. at the Round Building at Central City Park with the 3.2-mile walk kicking off at 9:30a.m. Participation in March for Babies will provide a memorable and rewarding day for the whole family including a picnic lunch and many different activities for children. To register for an event in your community, visit www.marchforbabies.org.
Funds raised by March for Babies in Georgia help support prenatal wellness programs, research grants, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) family support programs and advocacy efforts for stronger, healthier babies. Although you may not realize it, you have been touched by the March of Dimes if, you or your child received a polio vaccine; you took the B vitamin folic acid before and during pregnancy to prevent birth defects; you or someone you know is one of the thousands of parents who had a premature baby in Georgia this year; you had a healthy baby due in part to good prenatal care at home and from your doctor or nurse.
The most urgent infant health problem in the U.S. today is premature birth. It affects more than half a million babies each year, with the number growing every day. The March of Dimes is committed to reducing this number by funding research to find the answers to problems that continue to threaten the health of babies.
Love to all y’all (especially you sweet babies)
Molly
