March of Dimes, March for Babies – Why I Walk

The March of Dimes was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938 in order to raise money to fight polio. The foundation funded research for the polio vaccine, which effectively ended epidemic polio in the United States. With its original mission accomplished, the March of Dimes turned its focus to preventing birth defects and infant mortality.

Growing up, I participated in the March of Dimes’ largest fundraising event, March for Babies (formerly Walk America) from elementary school on, watched videos in middle school about the importance of folic acid for preventing birth defects, and became a member of Chain Reaction (the March of Dimes’ youth leadership group) in high school. Throughout my life, I’ve know what an amazing organization the March of Dimes is – and I’ve been a steadfast supporter of its mission for all babies to be born healthy.

 March of Dimes

Little did I know that with my first child, I would become a March of Dimes statistic. On October 26, 2009, we found out that just shy of 22 weeks, my water had broken. We were informed that without sufficient amniotic fluid, there was a chance that our baby’s lungs would not develop – that even if he were born alive, he may never be taken off of a ventilator. I was sent home, ordered to remain on bed rest, and told that if I did not go into labor in the next 2 weeks, I would be admitted to the hospital for the remainder of my pregnancy. The hospital would not admit me until 24 weeks – the age of fetal viability.

Mercifully, I did not go into labor, and was admitted to the hospital on November 7, 2009. When I was first admitted to the hospital, I received a prenatal steroid shot for fetal lung development. This breakthrough treatment was developed through March of Dimes funded research.

I spent the next 60 days on bed rest in the hospital, celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year with my family and the nursing staff at Baptist Hospital. On January 6, 2010, Alex was born at 32 weeks, weighing 4lbs, 1oz. We were ecstatic to hear him cry at birth, but he was taken immediately from the delivery room to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. When we were finally able to see him nearly 8 hours later, he was on a ventilator, but had been given surfactant in order to prevent his lungs from collapsing (March of Dimes funded research developed surfactant therapy, which has reduced respiratory deaths of premature infants by half).

Alex spent the first month of his life in the NICU, but today, as a direct result of treatments that were funded by the March of Dimes, Alex is a happy and healthy 5 year old – and big brother to Sofia Grace (who was born healthy at 39 weeks).

Since 2010, I have continued my support of the March of Dimes with renewed purpose and passion (I am currently serving as the 2015 Board Chair for the Northeast Florida Division) – it’s the least I can do to repay the organization that saved Alex’s life.

This Saturday, April 18th is the First Coast March for Babies. When you walk in March for Babies, you give hope to nearly half a million babies born too soon each year. The money you raise supports community programs that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. And it funds research to find answers to the problems that threaten our babies. Since 1970, participants have raised an incredible $2.3 billion to benefit all babies.

March of Dimes 

Please join me and 5,000+ walkers and volunteers on Saturday at EverBank Stadium as we raise money for the March of Dimes. Together we can help give the next generation of babies the healthiest start possible. Registration starts at 8:00 am, and the 3-mile walk begins at 9:00 am. First Coast March for Babies is a family friendly event that offers food, a Kid Zone with bounce houses, and much, much more! I invite you to go to www.marchforbabies.org to register and for additional event information.

About the Author

Amy TurciAmy Turci is an accomplished attorney with the national law firm FordHarrison LLP, focusing on all aspects of labor and employment law and litigating employment cases before state and federal courts. Ms. Turci, a resident of Jacksonville Beach with her husband and two children, is a consummate volunteer giving of her time and financial support in her community. She is an active volunteer for the March of Dimes since 2010, serving as a board member since 2012. In that capacity she has served on the March for Babies Executive Committee and the Signature Chef’s Auction Committee, and served as the Chair of the 2012 Signature Chef’s Auction. She has also acted as a mentor for Take Stock in Children and the office contact for local chapters of Habitat for Humanity. 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 marchforbabies.org.

 

 

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