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.