Thank you Harford County March for Babies!

Thank you very much for your support of Harford County March for Babies. Despite the rain, wind and cold temps, we had a GREAT turnout of over 400 walkers! Thank you for believing in our mission to ensure someday all babies are born healthy.

 Check out our Facebook page for more photos: http://www.facebook.com/marchofdimesmdnca

Team Bischoff

Bringing a new born home from the hospital is usually an exciting and happy time.  Our family had a very different experience.

After delivering our first child in 2009, we marveled at how perfect she was.  Reagan was 6 weeks old when she started having seizures and was diagnosed with an extremely rare brain abnormality.  Her seizures escalated, and she needed brain surgery. She was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy with partial left sided paralysis.  We are thankful for the research the March of Dimes is doing with Cerebral Palsy in the hopes that it will help all children who struggle with this diagnosis. 

As you can imagine, we were nervous about having more children but were told we had no reason to worry.  We were very excited when we learned we were pregnant with twins.  After 3 months of bed rest, being separated from my husband and our 17 month old daughter, I delivered twins in October of 2010 at 25 weeks – a son named Cole and a daughter named Kendall.  Kendall was 1 lb. 7 oz. and unfortunately lived for just over a day.  Our son, affectionately referred to as Ironman, was 2 lbs. 2 oz. He went into cardiac arrest the day after he was born and suffered a brain bleed resulting in a diagnosis of hydrocephalus and requiring brain surgery twice.  Additionally, he needed eye surgery and will have lifelong vision issues.  We firmly believe the surfactant treatments he received gave his lungs the support he needed to survive.  A treatment available as a result of March of Dimes funded research.

The day I was discharged from the hospital, I was looking forward to being home with my husband and daughter but I was devastated to leave our baby behind, recovering from surgery, and exhausted thinking about planning a funeral.  As I packed my things to leave, our social worker knocked on the door to say goodbye and brought in a beautiful box with our daughter’s keepsakes.  I held her blanket as I reached for a beautiful scrapbook.  As I flipped through the pages, I was reminded how tiny her feet were, how beautiful her little hands were and how much I truly missed a baby I barely knew.  I often look through this box and look at her pictures when I want to feel closer to her.  I can guarantee that without the March of Dimes, I wouldn’t have had the energy or strength to put together that box or to scrapbook such a beautiful album that brings m closer to our baby girl.

Room 201 Bed 1 Medical Record 8334416 – those numbers will forever be engrained in my memory and became the passwords to see our baby boy.  Every day for 94 days we visited our son in the NICU.  A room with 25 beds lined with monitors, machines and noises you can’t imagine unless you’ve lived it. You sit next to the isolette for hours watching your baby breathe and hoping it will continue.  Some days just hoping for no change because that’s better than going backwards.  You learn a new vocabulary of medical terms that were part of our daily questions for the doctors.   

Our son, Cole wasn’t home for a first Halloween onesie, first Thanksgiving onesie, or a first Christmas onesie.  He had no clothes or blankets for what felt like forever.  But for every holiday, our son had a scrapbook page with his name, picture and other graphics decorating his isolette.  Some days it was the only color in the room.  Without the March of Dimes, the nurses wouldn’t have had the supplies to make a photo book or to print pictures to decorate his isolette.  It is amazing the happiness that something so simple can bring when day after day is filled with bad news.  I used to open our son’s isolette drawer hoping new pictures were in his photo book.  The first time he had food not TPN!  His first bath.  The first day he wore clothes.  All in a book for me to look at when we were having a tough week.  Keepsakes for both our children to better know Cole’s humble beginning and have something to remember their sister.  These are but a few examples of how the March of Dimes has impacted our family.

The March of Dimes made us feel like Colton was our son.  Not 8334416.  Not Room 201 Bed 1.  In a world where you struggle to figure out how to be a mom when you can’t hold or feed your baby or tell him it’s going to be ok, just being our son and not a number makes all the difference in the world.   We must keep these feelings alive to remind us how important this cause is for those who will come after us. So let’s not forget how important our individual contributions can be when we pool our efforts, energy and financial resources to make a difference.

Check out Team Bischoff speech at the Fairfax March for Babies.

What to expect the Day of March for Baby Event!

March for Babies Day is a fun-filled, family-oriented event. This is a day of celebration of all babies: those born healthy, those struggling to thrive and those who didn't go home. Below are a few frequently asked questions. Your team captain will receive a special e-mail from the March of Dimes with site-specific information.

1. What should walkers wear?
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes (in layers to accommodate temperature changes), cotton or wool socks, and walking or tennis shoes.

2. What happens if it rains?
Toss an umbrella in the trunk of your car. March for Babies takes place rain or shine. If it rains and it would be dangerous to walk, the route will be shortened.

3. What time do I need to arrive?
Check-in and registration begins one hour before the walk. But if you've already turned in your money on Bank Day or did all of your fundraising online, come at least 30 minutes early to enjoy the stage program. Walk start times vary by site.

4. What do I do with my cash and check donations?
If you're walking with a team, ask your team captain about turning in cash and checks before walk day. If you're an individual walker, bring the monies with you to the walk or contact your local office for a special mailing address.

5. Can I bring my children in strollers?
The March of Babies wouldn't be a celebration without children and strollers. All of the routes are on stroller-friendly paths.

6. Are there checkpoints or snacks along the route?
There are checkpoints along the route that will provide rest, refreshments and information. Most will have water and some even have a snack.

7. Can I bring my dog?
March for Babies events are held at a variety of sites, including public parks and private property. If you are considering bringing man's best friend, please contact your local office for possible restrictions. Please consider the breed of your pet and that babies and small children will be at March for Babies.

8. Will there be children's activities at my walk site?
We encourage all walkers to bring their children to March for Babies. Children's activities, which vary by site, include face painting, games, bounce houses and the Fun Bus.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact your local March of Dimes office

A Place to Remember

We are so looking forward to seeing you at an upcoming March for Babies in Reston or Washington, D.C.  As always, we love seeing our families and listening to your stories.

 This year we are adding a few things to all of our walk sites, with larger productions in Reston and Washington, D.C.  In order to give our families who have experienced the loss of a baby some extra TLC, we are planning a special area called “a place to remember”.  This butterfly garden will be an area where families can gather to continue to remember that special little one who is with us only in spirit.  Please join us in this area and tag a butterfly for your little one(s). 

A place to remember will also provide resource material should you need it, have a private area for siblings to make a butterfly for a lost brother or sister or just relax a little and talk with our staff and other families.

If for some reason you cannot find “‘a place to remember”, please ask one of our staff in the mission booth and they will escort you to the area.

We are planning this activity rain or shine.

Thank You Prince William Family Teams!

   

We would like to give a HUGE thank you to all of the wonderful family teams who were able to support the 2012 Prince William County March for Babies!  We had a record turnout of over 800 people who showed up to join with the millions of people across the nation who are marching for babies to help us reach a day when EVERY baby is born healthy.  You all made an enormous impact and we are closer to finding that day because of YOU.  THANK YOU!

 

Check out our Facebookfor more photos.

Thank You Prince Georges Family Teams!

  

Dear Family Teams,

Thank you so much for coming out to March for Babies at Watkins Park! The event’s success is largely driven by our family teams. This is my first year organizing the walk and my heart was so moved when I saw all our family teams lined up at the start line. I especially enjoyed seeing our family come across the finish line with smiles on their faces. Thank you again, your involvement is helping us reach the day we dream of…the day when every baby is born healthy.

Thank you,

Lauren Stover

Check out our Facebookfor more photos.

What to expect the Day of March for Baby Event!

March for Babies Day is a fun-filled, family-oriented event. This is a day of celebration of all babies: those born healthy, those struggling to thrive and those who didn't go home. Below are a few frequently asked questions. Your team captain will receive a special e-mail from the March of Dimes with site-specific information.

1. What should walkers wear?
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes (in layers to accommodate temperature changes), cotton or wool socks, and walking or tennis shoes.

2. What happens if it rains?
Toss an umbrella in the trunk of your car. March for Babies takes place rain or shine. If it rains and it would be dangerous to walk, the route will be shortened.

3. What time do I need to arrive?
Check-in and registration begins one hour before the walk. But if you've already turned in your money on Bank Day or did all of your fundraising online, come at least 30 minutes early to enjoy the stage program. Walk start times vary by site.

4. What do I do with my cash and check donations?
If you're walking with a team, ask your team captain about turning in cash and checks before walk day. If you're an individual walker, bring the monies with you to the walk or contact your local office for a special mailing address.

5. Can I bring my children in strollers?
The March of Babies wouldn't be a celebration without children and strollers. All of the routes are on stroller-friendly paths.

6. Are there checkpoints or snacks along the route?
There are checkpoints along the route that will provide rest, refreshments and information. Most will have water and some even have a snack.

7. Can I bring my dog?
March for Babies events are held at a variety of sites, including public parks and private property. If you are considering bringing man's best friend, please contact your local office for possible restrictions. Please consider the breed of your pet and that babies and small children will be at March for Babies.

8. Will there be children's activities at my walk site?
We encourage all walkers to bring their children to March for Babies. Children's activities, which vary by site, include face painting, games, bounce houses and the Fun Bus.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact your local March of Dimes office

Meet Zachary, Gabriella, and Jacob Nelson

After doing a second IVF procedure to have a sibling for Alexa, their first daughter, Victoria Sansone and Kenneth Nelson Jr. found out early on that they were having triplets. The pregnancy went well until 24 weeks when Victoria was put on bed rest due to high blood pressure.  At 27 weeks, it was determined that Victoria had HELLP Syndrome, and she was flown by helicopter to UMMC in Baltimore to be treated.   They held off her symptoms by giving her steroids (Surfactant), which also helped the babies prepare for their early birth.

At 28 weeks, Victoria’s symptoms returned and because her life was at stake, they delivered the babies immediately. Gabriella weighed 2.4 lbs., Zachary 2.8 lbs., and Jacob 1.4 lbs.  Gabriella and Zachary were given surfactant immediately upon birth.  However, Jacob, the littlest, was showing no signs of distress and was not given the medication, which lead to a series of medical problems.

Gabriella made it through with a few infections and came home after two months in the NICU.  Zachary had feeding and swallowing issues but also quickly followed his sister home at two and a half months.  Jacob finally arrived home after spending over seven months in the NICU and enduring four surgeries.  All three of the children wore apnea monitors for the first year, and Jacob had oxygen until his first birthday. Today, thanks to life-saving March of Dimes research and the care they received, the triplets are 5 years old and are mostly healthy and active.

What to expect the Day of March for Baby Event!

March for Babies Day is a fun-filled, family-oriented event. This is a day of celebration of all babies: those born healthy, those struggling to thrive and those who didn't go home. Below are a few frequently asked questions. Your team captain will receive a special e-mail from the March of Dimes with site-specific information.

1. What should walkers wear?
Please wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes (in layers to accommodate temperature changes), cotton or wool socks, and walking or tennis shoes.

2. What happens if it rains?
Toss an umbrella in the trunk of your car. March for Babies takes place rain or shine. If it rains and it would be dangerous to walk, the route will be shortened.

3. What time do I need to arrive?
Check-in and registration begins one hour before the walk. But if you've already turned in your money on Bank Day or did all of your fundraising online, come at least 30 minutes early to enjoy the stage program. Walk start times vary by site.

4. What do I do with my cash and check donations?
If you're walking with a team, ask your team captain about turning in cash and checks before walk day. If you're an individual walker, bring the monies with you to the walk or contact your local office for a special mailing address.

5. Can I bring my children in strollers?
The March of Babies wouldn't be a celebration without children and strollers. All of the routes are on stroller-friendly paths.

6. Are there checkpoints or snacks along the route?
There are checkpoints along the route that will provide rest, refreshments and information. Most will have water and some even have a snack.

7. Can I bring my dog?
March for Babies events are held at a variety of sites, including public parks and private property. If you are considering bringing man's best friend, please contact your local office for possible restrictions. Please consider the breed of your pet and that babies and small children will be at March for Babies.

8. Will there be children's activities at my walk site?
We encourage all walkers to bring their children to March for Babies. Children's activities, which vary by site, include face painting, games, bounce houses and the Fun Bus.

If you have any questions or need more information, please contact your local March of Dimes office

Family Teams Conference call

Join the
Maryland National Capital Area Chapter
March for Babies
Family Teams Conference call.

Thursday April 19th at 8pm
712-775-7100 and the access code: 470884.
The Family Team Kickoff is a great opportunity to hear what other Family Teams in the chapter are doing with March for Babies. Family Teams will have an opportunity to share there success stories on how they are building successful Family Teams.

Get information about the day of the walk. What to wear? Will there be food? What kid activities will be there? What will we need to bring?
There will be an opportunity to ask questions to other family teams and March of Dimes staff members. Please join us as we kick off the 2012 season!
Call in to 712-775-7100 and enter the access code 470884

The West Family

Last year I was pregnant with my third baby, and my due date was supposed to be December 21st. Unfortunately, our little man came on November 10th (6 weeks early) weighing 4 lbs. 14 oz. He came out screaming so we knew his lungs were fine, and all seemed to be okay for the first 24 hours. Soon, though, he couldn't keep his temperature regulated and on the second day the nurses called the Neonatologist in the middle of the night because they noticed blood in his stool. We were flown by helicopter to Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. and so began our nine week NICU stay and four week GI unit stay.

After we arrived at Children's, they did every test they could think of to figure out why he was so sick. They took blood, did an upper GI, a spinal tap, and much more, but they still couldn't figure it out. On day four of his life, at 2:30 a.m. they performed emergency surgery and discovered he had a perforated colon and was very, very sick with Sepsis. The surgery left him with a colostomy. For the first 3 weeks of his life, we did not think he was going to make it. Then around the fourth week we thought he had started to come around – he came off the ventilator and seemed to be doing better. Unfortunately, though, the stoma developed a hole and saturated his surgery wound. It was an impossible battle trying to keep him from getting sepsis again and keeping his wound clean.

Finally, at 13 weeks old, he was able to come home. Today as I type this, he is 14 weeks old. We have weekly clinic visits at Children’s to check labs, he has a feeding tube to help his liver and also help his body absorb all the good stuff he needs. He is still not gaining weight like he should and is just over 9 lbs. now. I will be walking at the Assateague March for Babies this year, and I am so thankful for everything that the March of Dimes has done, including all the research that means so much more to me now.

Maryland National Capital Area Bank Days!

Bank Day is a great opportunity for you to turn in your team’s money and to pick up your team incentives. Coming to Bank Day allows you to enjoy March for Babies without handling money or standing in line for registration. Please make sure that all donations are marked with your team name, walk site location and separated by walker. This will insure that all funds are credited to the correct walker and team. Be sure to print and bring with you, your “Team Form”, which summarizes amount raised and t-shirt size for all of your team members.

In appreciation for your support, when you raise $350 or more, you will receive your choice of a Kmart or Macy’s Gift Card. The more you raise, the more valuable the gift card. See below for details.

If You Raise: You Will Receive:
$200 March for Babies T-shirt
$350 $15 Gift Card and T-shirt
$500 $25 Gift Card and T-shirt
$1,000 $50 Gift Card and T-shirt
$2,500 $125 Gift Card and T-shirt
$5,000 $250 Gift Card and T-shirt
$10,000 $500 Gift Card and T-shirt
$20,000 $600 Gift Card and T-shirt

Look below for a bank location and time that works for you.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Harford County - Bank of America - Bel Air
201 South Main Street, Bel Air, MD 21204

Wicomico County BB & T Bank
2400 North Salisbury Boulevard, Salisbury, MD 21804

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Allegany County Susquehanna Bank
Country Club Mall, LaVale, MD 21502

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Caroline County BB & T Bank
102 South Main Street, Federalsburg, MD 21632

Fredrick County - BB & T Bank
5825 Buckeystown Pike, Frederick, MD 21704

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Prince William County - Bank of America - Manassas
8501 Sudley Rd., Manassas, VA 20109

Prince Georges County - Bank of America – Kettering
10600 Campus Way South, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774

Washington County - Susquehanna Bank
18000 Dual Highway, Hagerstown, MD 21740

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

St. Mary’s County - Bank of America - Lexington Park
21800 North Shangra Park, Lexington Park, MD 20653

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Worchester County - Bank of America
4401 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD 21842

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Baltimore County - Susquehanna Bank – Columbia
8801 Columbia 100 Parkway, Columbia, MD 21045-2142

Baltimore County - Susquehanna Bank – Reistertown
11817 Reistertown Rd., Reistertown, MD 21136-3337

Charles County - Bank of America - Charles County Plaza
3255 Crain Highway, Waldorf, MD 20603

Montgomery County - Bank of America – Rockville
255 North Washington Street, Rockville, MD 20850

Fairfax County - Bank of America – Reston
11303 Sunset Hills Road, Reston, VA 20190

Fairfax County - Bank of America - Tysons Corner
8300 Greensboro Drive, Unit L3, McLean, VA 22102

Thursday, May 10, 2012

District of Columbia - Bank of America
730 - 15th St., NW, Washington, DC 20005

Thank you for your support!

Family Teams Conference call.

Join the
Maryland National Capital Area Chapter
March for Babies
Family Teams Conference call.

Thursday April 19th at 8pm
712-775-7100 and the access code: 470884.

The Family Team Kickoff is a great opportunity to hear what other Family Teams in the chapter are doing with March for Babies. Family Teams will have an opportunity to share there success stories on how they are building successful Family Teams.

Get information about the day of the walk. What to wear? Will there be food? What kid activities will be there? What will we need to bring?
There will be an opportunity to ask questions to other family teams and March of Dimes staff members. Please join us as we kick off the 2012 season!
Call in to 712-775-7100 and enter the access code 470884

Announcing the National Family Team Incentive

Two members from each of the Top 10* Family Teams in
March for Babies 2012 will be invited to attend the

March of Dimes

National Volunteer Leadership Conference

Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort
Orlando, FL

October 18 - 21, 2012

Includes travel accommodations, three night stay
and admission to the Magic Kingdom.

A separate drawing will be held on July 1, 2012 to select three family teams that have raised $5,000 or more.*

Two members from each of these teams will also be invited to attend the national volunteer leadership conference and
Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom.

*Fundraising totals received by the March of Dimes
as of June 30, 2012 at 11:59 p.m.

Team Emmy Bear

Emily decided she was ready to come into the world on Friday, August 13, 2010. My husband and I rushed to the hospital early in the morning to find out I was in preterm labor. Luckily the team at Greater Baltimore Medical Center Labor and Delivery were able to stop my contractions. I was able to receive two shots of corticosteroid over the next 24 hour period to help develop the baby’s lungs. I lasted on bed rest of three nights and the contractions started again early Monday morning. This time the doctors could not stop the contractions.
I had to have an emergency cesarean section. Our tiny baby was born at 5:04 am on August 16th. She was born at 26 weeks gestation and weighed only 2 pounds, 5 ounces and was 13.5 inches long. She had to be put on the ventilator right away to help her breathe. Ten days after Emily was born we were finally able to hold her. Since she was on the ventilator for this long she was diagnosed with Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). She was given surfactant therapy to help the small air sacs in her lungs from collapsing. Without March of Dimes research, Emily may have breathing problems or worse, may not have made it out of the NICU.

Emily spent the next 86 days in the NICU at GBMC. They were the hardest days of our lives. Visiting her everyday- multiple times a day we saw new babies checking into the NICU. Some were much smaller and even sicker than our Emily.
Today Emily is 17 months old, healthy and so happy. She amazes my husband and me every day. I support the March of Dimes because before I delivered at 26 weeks, I had no idea the magnitude of issues and problems families could face trying to have a baby. Especially after being in the NICU and seeing all of the tiny, sick babies I had to reach out to make people aware of the issues many people go through when their baby is born sick, too soon, or doesn’t make it. I will continue to support the March of Dimes so they can help fund research to help stop premature births and to someday have all babies born healthy.

Join Team Emmy Bear at Noodles & Company

Join Us!
Help Support
team emmy bear
&

at:

825 Goucher Blvd #100B
Towson, MD 21286
April 19, 2012
4:00 – 8:00 PM
25% of your dinner will go towards team Emmy Bear!
March for Babies – May 5th sign up to walk!
http://www.marchforbabies.org/

Maryland-National Capital Area Chapter
Top Walker Club ($1,000+)


$1,000 in health care costs for a family equals:
• 9 hours on a ventilator for a baby in the NICU
• Less than 12 hours in an isolette (incubator) for a sick baby
• 6 days of respiratory treatment for a premature baby to breathe more easily

$1,000 can provide the following services and supplies:
• 40 nurses with late preterm birth education
• 100 families with babies in the NICU with information & supplies to ease their fears
• 10 rocking chairs for kangaroo care in a hospital’s NICU
• One year’s supply of diapers for a Stork’s Nest location
• 10 nursing grand rounds training sessions

Tips to raise $1,000 from Top Walkers
• Utilize Online Fundraising Tool at marchforbabies.org
• Send emails to everyone in your address book
• Post badges and banners on email, facebook, blog, etc.
• Utilize social media to request donations
• Send personalized letters to those not online
• Ask everyone you know (including your hairdresser, mailman, etc.)

Top Walker Club Benefits
• Top Walker Award
• Top Walker Club Shirt
• Recognition on MD-National Capital Area website & facebook page
• Recognition in MD-National Capital Area online newsletter following March for Babies
• Recognition in division and walksite communication/materials
• Invitation and special recognition at local March for Babies Kickoff

Family Team T-shirts

Get your customized March for Babies Family Team T-shirts at great prices. Create a simple March for Babies shirt with simply your team name or design a great team logo with your child’s picture. They take 2 to 4 weeks to be delivered, so order your team shirts soon. Go to e.a. graphics.

Looking for other options to show off your team on walk day and throughout the year. Below are some other options that are available for you to customize.
o March for Babies Family Team T-shirts can be customized with your team name on the back. They come in black, purple and blue.
o March for Babies Family Team embroidered hats can be customized with your team name.
o March for Babies Family Team purple Bandanas.
o March of Dimes Family Team Sweat shirts, polo’s, jackets.
o March of Dimes Family Team Diaper Bags, Totes and sakes and more.

From Little Baby to Little Lady

At 33 weeks pregnant, my OB noticed that I wasn’t measuring any larger from my previous visit. An ultrasound confirmed that my baby had IUGR (Inter Uterine Growth Restriction). I was immediately admitted to the hospital for bed rest and a handful of daily tests. The doctors hoped Roudell would make it to 36 weeks gestational age, which she barely did. On that day’s Doppler test on the Umbilical cord they realized that Roudell was no longer going to be receiving enough of a blood flow to get enough nutrients from me to continue to survive in the womb. When they induced labor, my baby’s heart rate started to plummet every time I had a tiny little contraction, so they rushed me in for an emergency Cesarean Section. My little miracle was born, but it took a while before she whimpered a small little cry. Was I happy to hear it! It is sad for me to think that just 10 years prior the technology we had access to wasn’t available, and babies that suffered from IUGR typically were stillborn. My baby girl spent one week in the NICU as she needed some time to figure out how to eat. Leaving the hospital without her was the hardest thing I ever had to do. It took her a few months to grow into the 0-3 month-sized clothes, but she did grow and develop into the perfect, beautiful young lady she is today.

We have raised money for March for Babies from friends and family, contributed, and walked every year since the birth of our little miracle. Roudell’s birthday is in May, so usually pretty close to the walk dates, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate her birthday than to make sure other families will have the chance to celebrate the birthdays of their little miracles as well.

Fundraising with Social Media

Using social media is a great way to spread the word about your Family Team. You can use Facebook and Twitter to recruit walkers, raise money and share status updates on your progress with friends and family. You can even send out animated emails starring you or your child. These tools are a fun and great way to get your team excited about March for Babies. Check out this great video on March for Babies fundraising tips.

Badges: Log in to your account and click the “Get Custom Fundraising Badges” button. Grab a dynamic fundraising badge for your blog, website or e-mail signature. Choose from three sizes, personalize with your picture, message and fundraising goal - It's easy!

Animated e-card: Add some fun to the messages you send asking your friends to donate. Log in and click the “Send Animated E-cards” button to create your own personalized, animated e-card. The card includes a link back to your March for Babies personal page.

Facebook application: Log in to marchforbabies.org and click the button on the left side of your dashboard to get the app. You can tie your March for Babies account to your Facebook account and use our app to access a variety of sharing tools: post to your wall, post to friends, invite friends to walk with you, tweet the link to your March for Babies personal page.

Facebook: Instead of, or in addition to the Facebook app, friend “March of Dimes” and share their posts on your wall. Always enter the link to your March for Babies personal page in your status or comments. This helps your friends understand why you’re asking for their support and easily link to your page to donate.

Twitter: follow “@marchforbabies” so their tweets will show on your timeline; tweet about your fundraising or your team and ask your followers to help, always include the link to your March for Babies personal page.


LinkedIn: Login and share your participation in the status box or post team updates. Be sure to include the link to your March for Babies page. You can post to Twitter from LinkedIn too, if you’d like.

Mobile Applications: Fundraise on the go! Click on the graphic on the left side of your dashboard or go to the App Store/Marketplace to download the March for Babies iPhone or Android app; you can update your page, send e-mails and record donations anytime, anywhere.

Mobile website: We’ve optimized marchforbabies.org for smartphones so it automatically detects when you’re visiting on your smartphone and makes it easy to see on a mobile device.

UnBaby Shower Fundraiser

I have been walking in the March for Babies for the past four years. I love this organization for many reasons and have always looked for fun ways to raise money for the event. I have a lot of friends who would donate, but I didn’t want to just ask for money. I wanted to have an event where they could have fun while donating, so I came up with the UnBaby Shower.
The first time I sent the invitation out, all of my friends called to see when I was due. I assured everyone that there was in fact no baby. Some people believed me and some just wanted to come to make sure. I was recently divorced, so they were extra curious.  Once they finally believed me, I could move on to the real reason I had the shower...the other babies that aren’t born as healthy as mine were.
The UnBaby Shower is a great party because you can piggy back on the baby shower theme with promoting the March of Dimes. As I see it, it’s a natural fit. Baby showers are always fun and this one just lacks the “oohs” and “awes” from attendees when presents are opened, but we still have a good time. I have a lot of friends who own their own home businesses, and I ask them to bring their items to the shower to sell. It’s not a home show, it’s just a table where my guests can buy something they like and a portion of the sales comes back to the team. This year, I have my friend Kristen bringing her Sentsey display.
A couple of months before the event I ask a few people I know if they would be willing to donate something for the raffle. I usually get gift cards, movie tickets and other items, and I put together a gift basket and my friend with the home show will donate as well. Everyone leaves with something. If it’s not a raffle ticket, it’s a bag of Hershey kisses with a rattle lollypop. I remember when I was younger and attended parties; I always thought the best part of the whole event was the goody bag. So that is why I make sure to have something for everyone take home.
Donations are easy to ask for at an event like this because the shower puts everyone in a fun and giving mood. On the invitation I send out, I also ask that everyone bring a $10 donation. They receive a raffle ticket for their donation and for just one dollar more, they can purchase another one. All of the money we receive goes straight to our team. I don’t believe in taking money out to cover expenses – it’s just my way of donating to my team.
What is an UnBaby Shower without all of the silly games? We play shower games like bingo, what’s in the bag, baby shower lotto and the baby word game. Most of the time all we do is laugh. I always add in a little speech about March for Babies and why I walk. I talk about my miscarriage, my nephew born at 4 lbs 11 oz and about my boys who were born healthy. I try to encourage others in the group to share stories if they want, and I make sure to thank everyone for their generosity.
The UnBaby Shower is (I think) one of my best ideas. It mixes the mission of March for Babies, lots of fun, and fundraising! You can’t beat that! This event has a big impact on my team’s fundraising goals every year. I have friends who ask, “When is that baby shower is going to be? You know the one without the baby?” I’ve even expanded my team this year to five members! We’ve come a long way, and we only have more room to grow! My family team, CaseyHale Boys, will continue to be a part of the March for Babies for many years to come.
Please feel free to take the UnBaby Shower idea and use it for your fundraising. You’ll see how fun it is and how it makes fundraising so easy!

Team Callie May

After 2 ½ years trying to get pregnant and suffering two miscarriages, we were elated to make it to 13 weeks and the “safe” part of our pregnancy. I felt great and loved every second of being pregnant. At 20 weeks, we found out we were having a healthy, little girl and began announcing to the world that we would be having a baby on May 31st, 2009. Three weeks later, I woke up for work and noticed that I was spotting. A few hours later at St. Joe’s, horror struck, when my doctor told me that I was already 2 ½ cm dilated and my amniotic sac was bulging. For the next 9 days, I stayed on complete bed rest, upside down, on a constant cycle of Magnesium Sulfate doing everything humanly possible to keep my baby put. The doctors and nurses were amazing and helped me get through those agonizing days…having completely lost control of my pregnancy and terrified of what would happen when she made her entrance.

On February 13, 2009, despite everyone’s best efforts, Callie entered the world. That afternoon, I started bleeding and they realized that preterm delivery was eminent. They rushed me into the operating room and my doctor broke my water and had me begin pushing. After two pushes, Callie’s heart rate dropped and they transitioned to an immediate cesarean section. Callie was born limp and didn’t cry. We found out later that she weighed only 1lb 5 ounces and was only 11 ¾ inches long. After putting a breathing tube, they held her up to us for an instant before rushing her to the NICU.

The nurse told us that they would work on her overnight and they would bring us to see her in the morning. An hour later, they came and got us, saying that they wanted to give us a chance to see her alive and didn’t think that she would make it until morning. We were devastated, but went to her side and told her how much we loved her and how proud of her we were and asked her to fight. Fight she did. Callie spent the next 3 months in 3 different NICU’s and had four surgeries before coming home. We were told her chances of ever walking or living a normal life was slim because of the severity of her brain bleed. Our little fighter showed the world statistics didn’t matter.

Callie is now a healthy 3 year old and is keeping up with the other kids her age, continuing to exceed everyone’s expectations.
After Callie came home from the NICU, Lee and I decided we needed to find a way to give back and started actively supporting the March of Dimes. Callie received such amazing medical care during her time in the NICU, a lot of which was available through research supported by the March of Dimes. But a lot of research still needs to be done. I had great prenatal care and still had a premature baby. We want to do our part to make sure that this research continues so that all babies can be born healthy and not have to suffer and fight the way our Callie had to.
March of Dimes means hope. It means hope that one day all babies can be born healthy. Hope that these innocent babies will not have to struggle as hard to meet milestones. Hope that Mother’s won’t have to watch their babies struggle for life. It is hope for the future.

Join the Family Team Kickoff Conference Call

Join the Family Team Kickoff Conference call.

Thursday March 15th at 8pm
712-775-7100 and the access code: 470884.

The Family Team Kickoff is a great opportunity to hear what other Family Teams in the chapter are doing with March for Babies. Family Teams will have an opportunity to share there success stories on how they are building successful Family Teams.
Get information about the day of the walk. What to wear? Will there be food? What kid activities will be there? What will we need to bring?
There will be an opportunity to ask questions to other family teams and March of Dimes staff members. Please join us as we kick off the 2012 season!
Call in to 712-775-7100 and enter the access code 470884

Meet Gavin Rudd

Gavin was born after a very complicated pregnancy on October 6, 2010 weighing 3lbs 5 oz. His arrival was 6 weeks before his due date via emergency C-section. His mother, Heather, only got to see his tiny face for a second before he was transported to the NICU at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. His father, Jason was at his side while his mother anxiously waited in the recovery room for an update. Gavin was two hours old before she would be able to really see him for the first time and he was over fourteen hours old before she would hold him for the first time.
For 18 days Gavin was in the NICU, he learned how to breath all on his on, maintain his temperature, and to eat all by himself. Gavin was discharge from the NICU 3 weeks before his original due date. His parents thank the March of Dimes and the wonderful NICU staff at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, for helping Gavin, who is now a very happy, healthy, and very active toddler.

As 2012 Eastern Shore Ambassador Family, The Rudd’s will help raise awareness of premature birth and encourage residents and companies to participate in March for Babies.

Setting up your March for Babies Online Fundraising Team Page!

Did you know that Online Fundraising (OFT) is the easiest and best way to raise money? Family Teams that are the most successfully use the OFT program. To get the most out of your OFT page make sure you have a photo and updated story on your team page, as well as, your personal page. Your friends and family will be excited to get an update on your family and will be more likely to donate to your Family Team. Check out the Quick Guide to online Fundraising for helpful hints.

There are many fundraising tools you can use to help spread the word. Many families raise money through their Facebook page by using the March for Babies Facebook application. There is a March for Babies badge you can put on your blog, Facebook and your e-mail signature that shows your goal bar with a link to your team page. There is even a fun animated e-mail that you can personalize with a picture and send to your friends and family. This is a great way for your friends and family to have better access to your team. Check out the Family Team March for Babies page for all kinds of helpful tools just for Family Teams.

Check out this video about how to set up your online fundraising page!

Join us for Maryland Lobby Day – Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Lobby Day will begin at 8 a.m. with a formal program and conclude with legislative visits. It will be an opportunity for staff and volunteers to speak with elected officials about issues of importance to the March of Dimes. Invitations are being sent to the membership (and staff) of the House and Senate committees that consider bills of interest to the chapter.
The preliminary Lobby Day agenda is as follows:
• Welcome
• Medical Speaker
• Family’s Perspective
• Bills of Interest to the March of Dimes
• Call to Action

We hope that you will stay following the formal program to visit with your legislators. These visits should be arranged as soon as possible. If you need assistance in identifying who your elected officials are, please click on the following link http://mdelect.net/ and type in your home address. Your elected officials will be listed on the left side of the page. Legislative directories will be on-hand at the event. We will do our best to partner you with other volunteers/staff so that you are not alone on these visits.
Room 180
Lowe Housing Office Building
6 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Legislative staff are welcome!
Questions or RSVP:
Anne V. Eder, 410-752-8073 or aeder@marchofdimes.com

Charpentier Family

At 29 ½ weeks pregnant, I was admitted to The Birthing Inn at Inova Loudoun Hospital for what I thought was severe indigestion. It turned out that I had severe preeclampsia and a condition known as HELLP Syndrome. I was hooked up to IV’s, monitors and given a steroid injection, (surfactant), to help mature my unborn son’s lungs. I started improving, but not enough to be sent home, I spent the next 4 days on bed rest, listening to women give birth to their healthy babies. By Day 4 it became clear that I wasn’t going to get any better, and on the morning of Day 5 (May 16, 2007), Martin Alexander was born via emergency C-section at 30 weeks gestation. So much for my natural childbirth plan! It was all so scary – even though he let out a cry and began to breathe on his own, he was very underweight. He spent the next 3.5 weeks in the NICU gaining weight and learning to eat from a bottle. He came home in early June weighing only 3 lbs. 6oz. and aside from a double-inguinal hernia (that was repaired several months later), he has grown up to be a healthy, happy and very energetic little boy! Alex turns 5 years-old this May and we’re thankful for every day we have with him and his little sister, Gabriela, who was born full term in 2010.

Eastern Shore March for Babies Kickoff Dates!

Join us for a Celebration Luncheon and 2011 March for Babies Recognition

• Salisbury – Wednesday, February 15th - 12 noon – 1:30 pm at the Salisbury Moose Family Center

• Midshore/Federalsburg – Wednesday, February 29th – 12 noon – 1:30 pm at Union United Methodist Church in Federalsburg, MD

• Assateague – Thursday, March 8th – 12 noon – 1:30 pm at Seacret’s in Ocean City, MD

Contact Name and Email: Nicole Scharf at nscharf@marchofdimes.com or Wendy Jarrett at wjarrett@marchofdimes.com

You’re invited to attend the March of Dimes March for Babies Kickoff Celebration on Thursday, February 23rd at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Join 2012 Washington, D.C. Chair Brian Carlton, Regional Managing Partner of Dixon Hughes Goodman; Fairfax County Chair Jeff Kovach, Managing Director of Beacon Capital Partners; Jeff Johnson of Booz Allen Hamilton; St. Mary’s County Chair Jo Ann Gelrud and Charles County Chair Craig Renner of The St. Charles Companies at the Kickoff Celebration.

The Kickoff Celebration is an opportunity to learn more about the March of Dimes signature fundraising event, March for Babies. We hope that you can attend to meet other team captains, hear motivating stories and learn more about the mission of the March of Dimes and our impact in the community.

When: Thursday, February 23nd
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

Please RSVP no later than Monday, February 13th to Nicole Johnson at 571-257-2314 or njohnson@marchofdimes.com

March for Babies Ice Skating and Carriage Ride Fundraiser

Ice Skating

Monday, February 27 - Thursday, March 1, Reston Town Center Ice Skating Pavilion
$10 admission (includes skate rental) with proceeds benefitting March for Babies during regular skate hours! Hot chocolate, snacks, photos on the Zamboni, DJ, games and prizes Monday & Tuesday 5 - 7 pm; Wednesday & Thursday 6 - 10 pm.

Carriage Ride

Saturday, February 11 - Reston Town Center
Fifteen minutes Carriage Rids with proceeds benefitting March for Babies. Cost is $5 per person; children under five ride free. No more the six persons (4 adults and 2 children or 2 adults and 4 children) at a time.
Carriage rides are open between 6 pm and 10 pm. Get there early to get your reservations for a romantic or family fun carriage ride through Reston Town Center.
Also, sign up for the Reston Town Center walk on Sunday, May 6 at marchforbabies.org!

Harford County March for Babies Kick Off Celebration

Join us for the 2012 March for Babies Kick Off Celebration, Wednesday, February 15th at MaGerk’s Pub in Bel Air. The annual event is an opportunity to learn more about the March of Dimes signature fundraising event, March for Babies. We hope that you can attend to meet other team captains, hear motivating stories and learn more about the mission of the March of Dimes and our impact in the community. Team captains will have the opportunity to pick up any fundraising materials they will need for their campaign.

Preemies Today Receives a March of Dimes Grant

The March of Dimes Maryland-National Capital Area Chapter has awarded a grant to Preemies Today to support Education to Reduce the Risk of Preterm Births for NICU Parents, that is aimed at underserved maternal and child health needs in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas. This project will create a culturally sensitive video that demonstrates methods families can use to decrease their risk for a subsequent preterm birth and improve health and development outcomes of their post-NICU graduate babies. It is known that mothers who delivery prematurely are at greater risk for subsequent premature births and children born prematurely are at higher risk for developmental delays.

"We will use this grant as seed money to meet our objective of providing mothers and babies with risk reduction education," said Mary Beth Hazelgrove, Executive Director of Preemies Today. "We are grateful to those volunteers who support the March of Dimes by participation in events like March for Babies and who donate in other ways. That participation and those donations make this grant possible," she said.

Preemies Today is a volunteer-based organization whose mission is to advocate for families experiencing the traumatic event of a premature birth. Founded in 2003, Preemies Today provides parent-to-parent support, educational lectures, NICU baby showers, NICU Care bags, and social opportunities for families affected by prematurity. For more information, visit the Preemies Today website at PreemiesToday.org.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature births and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes or its Spanish language website at nacersano.org.

Meet the Raak’s

When we found out we were pregnant with our second son, Henry, we assumed we would have the same experience we had with our oldest son, Oliver. Unfortunately at 24 weeks we went into pre-term labor. Thankfully, in a joint effort between Virginia Hospital Center and Georgetown University Hospital, the doctors and nurses were able to stop the contractions and we were able to hold off for two more weeks.

We did our best to prepare our family for the difficult time ahead. The information and support from the March of Dimes came as a welcome surprise to us. We knew we could rely on the March of Dimes website to read other parents’ postings and find comfort in knowing we were not alone and that there was such a great support system already in place for our family. In fact, the realization that pre- term labor is so common--more than half a million babies are born too soon each year--made us realize how lucky we were to have such an easy pregnancy with Oliver.

Henry was born at 26 weeks and was in the hospital for three months. Those months were a roller coaster: good news then bad news, progress then setbacks. But throughout the whole process we were able to take advantage of the support meetings and events the March of Dimes sponsored where we were free to open up and talk to medical staff and especially other NICU families about our experiences.

Henry just turned 1 and he is a healthy and happy baby boy with a bright future ahead of him. Our hope in sharing our story is to make others aware of all that March of Dimes has done and will do in the future for babies and their families and most importantly- the realization that babies born too soon is more common than we think. Spread the word! It’s so important to continue the funding of programs and research geared at giving each baby a healthy life.