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March of DimesGiving every baby a healthy start
The March of Dimes Mission:
is to improve the health of babies by
preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.
March of Dimes carries out their
mission through research,
education, community services
and advocacy.
The March of Dimes researchers, volunteers, educators and advocates
work together to give all babies a fighting chance against the threats of prematurity, birth defects and low birth
weight.
HISTORYJanuary 1938-President Franklin D. Roosevelt
established
the National Foundation for Infantile
Paralysis.
This was a partnership of scientist and
volunteers to conquer polio.
In the same year Eddie Cantorcreated a fund-raiser for the National Foundation. He
asked the public to send dimes to President Roosevelt, this was called the March of Dimes.
This is how the foundation was named.
RESEARCH
Since 1984, March of Dimes has funded at least 200
grants; totaling 13 million dollars.
1998- invested in a six year Perinatal Epidemiology
Research Initiative; totaling more than 5.7 million dollars.
This study was to research how stress, infection, genetics and environment may trigger
preterm labor.
Investments in research by
March of Dimes has led to 18
scientists winning the Nobel
Peace Prize
We have already seen the results of Genetic Research.
With funding from March of Dimes scientists have used gene therapy successfully in treating hemophilia and retinitis pigmentosa in the lab.
Having results in the lab gets us closer to a cure.
EDUCATION Health Fairs Partnerships with WIC
and Healthy Start Educational Workshops
Education is the first step to prevention
November is Prematurity Awareness Month
This is a national effort to make the public aware of the growing problem of premature birth.
In stores across the country retailers decorate the store in pink and blue and have promotions to raise community awareness of premature births.
More then 150 buildings and landmarks were light up with pink and blue lights to show the importance of fighting premature births.
Along with education, March ofDimes also provides manyservices to help in thecommunity.
If after giving birth, in a hospital that haspartnered with March of Dimes, apremature baby and family will have aNICU Family Support Specialist, who willprovide them with a caring voice,educational material and activities. Parents are given photos that show babiesfirsts.
Another service provided wasafter the hurricanes in 2005 inthe Gulf Coast, volunteers andstaff provided emergency care,clothing, dippers, formula andvitamins to babies and mothersdisplaced from their homes.
March of Dimes now has a HurricaneAssistance Fund , including 4 mobilehealth centers that will bringprenatal and well baby visits directlyto families.
The use of the internet is very helpful too
The March of Dimes web pagehas a lot of information andlinks to reliable sources forparents and soon-to- be
parents to help educate them on howto have a healthy full termbaby.
FUNDING- 2006
March for Babies- $110.4 million
(Walk America)
Special Events- $43.6 million- Bikers for babies, jail & bail & light a
little star
Donations- $45.6 millionMothers March- $20 millionGrants (major gifts)- $21.1 million
According to Mona Lee at the
Tampa March of Dimes office,
77% of the funding goes back
to the program.
ADVOCACYVolunteers and staff lobby legislators in the
U.S.government to support budgets, programs and services that are vital to mom’s and babies.
One area of success in 2006 was an increase in the screening of newborns for disorders that could be life threatening.
“Expanded newborn screening is extremely vital, if you catch just one child, what a world of difference it makes.” says Deb Lee Gould, director, Fatty Oxidation Disorders Family Support Group.
What makes March of Dimes?
The partnership betweenvolunteers, researchers andstaff makes the March of Dimeswork.
With the help from theAmerican people, the March ofDimes has saved the lives ofmillions of babies over the past64 years.
SOME THING TO THINK ABOUT in Florida on an
average week:4,193 babies are born450 babies are born to mother
age 15-19374 babies are born to mother
who receive inadequate prenatal care
563 babies are born preterm358 babies are born with low
birth weight31 babies die before their 1st
birthday
With all of the work that thevolunteers, researchers andstaff of March of Dimes doeswe can hope that the number
ofbabies born with low birthweights, fixable medicalproblems and even death willbecome less as the years go
by.