WALDORF, MARYLAND, APRIL 2017 – Thousands of families and local business leaders will join together on May 7th at Regency Furniture Stadium for the 2017 March for Babies, the nation’s oldest fundraising walk, which helps more babies survive and thrive.
This year’s Greater Washington D.C. Area Ambassador Family is the Shay Baldwin Family. Audrey and Scott Baldwin were excited about becoming parents in 2015 and looking forward to growing their family. But their baby Shay arrived unexpectedly at only 30 weeks, weighing less than 4lbs 5oz pounds. She suffered from underdeveloped lungs, bradycardia, and desaturation and spent her 43 days fighting for life in a hospital Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Today, Shay is now 2 years old and stronger than ever. The Baldwin family is dedicated to making sure other parents are able to know the joy of a healthy child.
Mike Lucas, Branch Head Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and member of the Greater Waldorf Jaycees, serves in 2017 as the Southern Maryland March for Babies chair. “As a father myself, I am delighted to serve in this important role to raise awareness and urgently-needed funds for the March of Dimes mission to prevent birth defects and premature birth.”
On-site registration will begin at 8:00AM with the three-mile walk kicking off at 9:00AM. Southern Maryland residents can sign up today at marchforbabies.org to start a team with co-workers, family or friends; or make a donation to help more babies get a healthy start in life.
“March for Babies is also a memorable and rewarding event for the whole family,” says Jennifer Abell, Senior Development Manager for the March of Dimes. “We celebrate children and parents who experienced the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or special care nursery. We’ll recognize these families throughout the day with a Superhero Sprint for kids, complete with a purple cape, a symbolic lei for mom and dad and loads of fun in the kids’ zone. In addition, we’ll be adding to the fun with a live deejay and free breakfast and lunch sponsored by Safeway and Subway.”
“This year for the first time, participants will have the opportunity to walk through our Memory Mile and visit our unforgettable March for Babies Memory Garden. Those who have experienced loss will find a meaningful way to remember their baby by planting a flower in our butterfly garden,” she says.
Premature birth is the leading cause of death among babies in the United States. It affects about 380,000 babies – that’s 1 in 10 — born each year, including approximately 8,525 babies in Maryland. Funds raised by March for Babies in Southern Maryland support the March of Dimes programs that provide comfort and support for moms and babies as well as innovative research to find the unknown causes of premature birth and birth defects.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support. For detailed national, state and local perinatal statistics, visit persistats.org. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The 2017 March for Babies is sponsored nationally by Kmart, Famous Footwear, Macy’s, Cigna, HCA, and regional sponsor Publix Super Markets, Inc. In our community, March for Babies is sponsored by the Greater Waldorf Jaycees, University of Maryland Charles Regional Medical Center, Outdoor Creations and Landscapes, Inc., MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Dominion Power, The St. Charles Companies, Southern Maryland Hospital, The Apartments of St. Charles, SMECO, Safeway, Subway, Southern Maryland News, and Southern Maryland Woman.