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.

Register Online for March for Babies 2012

March for Babies 2012 is live on line! You can register your Family Team for March for Babies 2012. Visit marchforbabies.org and enter your username and password. You will be able to update your team’s website by adding a new message or picture. You may want to send a holiday message to friends and family now to ask for donations. It’s the season of giving! If you need help activating your website, please contact your March for Dimes staff liaison – we are happy to help!

Also, make sure to mark your calendar for March for Babies 2012.

April 21st
Allegany County

April 22th
Harford County
Wicomico County

April 28th
Prince George’s
Washington County

April 29th
Caroline County
Frederick County
Prince William County

May 5st
Greater Baltimore
Montgomery County
St. Mary’s / Calvert County
Worchester County

May 6th
Charles County
Fairfax County

May 12th
Washington DC

Happy Holidays from the March of Dimes Maryland-National Capital Area!

Jersey Mike’s Fundraiser – November 13th through November 19th

To celebrate Prematurity Awareness Month, Jersey Mike’s is donating 15% of their proceeds (with the flyer linked below) to March of Dimes. Enjoy lunch or dinner at any of 7 locations and support March of Dimes all week long!

Participating Locations:

In Maryland: Frederick, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Hagerstown, and Laurel

In Virginia: Leesburg and Sterling

Nancy Wiley – nwiley@marchofdimes.com

Southern Maryland Ambassador Sought for the March of Dimes

The search is on! The March of Dimes of Southern Maryland is beginning the selection process for the 2012 Southern Maryland Ambassador. The Southern Maryland Ambassador Program is a semi-annual campaign that puts a face on the March of Dimes mission…the face of a child who was helped by March of Dimes-funded research, programs, or educational campaigns designed to improve infant health. As a living symbol of the March of Dimes mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality, the Southern Maryland Ambassador plays a vital role in promoting the Foundation’s outreach.

Throughout the year, the Southern Maryland Ambassador and at least one parent travel across the region to meetings, special events, conferences, and fundraising activities, sharing their compelling story with audiences. During these visits, the Southern Maryland Ambassador may participate in media interviews and photo sessions and makes appearances with local celebrities, public officials, and senior-level corporate management to increase public, awareness of the
March of Dimes mission.

In order to qualify for Southern Maryland Ambassador, the following guidelines must be met:
The March of Dimes must have played some role (through research, community service, public education, etc.) in the child’s story.

The child’s school schedule and the parent’s work schedule(s) should be flexible enough to accommodate regional travel and related appearances without jeopardizing the parent’s employment. (Primarily weekends and/or week nights)

The child and his or her parent(s) must be able to well represent the March of Dimes at local events and volunteer meetings, as well as with media outlets of all types and at all levels.

All applications submitted will be reviewed by a committee to determine if the applicant meets the qualifications outlined in the guidelines. Finalists will be contacted to schedule an interview and photo session with one or more representatives of the Southern Maryland office. The Southern Maryland Ambassador will be chosen by the committee, based on the results of the personal visits, interviews and photo sessions. Notification takes place by letter, informing each family of the committee’s selection.

All interested persons may request an application package by contacting Jennifer Abell at 571-257-2310 or by email jabell@marchofdimes.com. All 2012 application forms are due no later than Friday, December 2, 2011.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies®, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.

Jenn Abell jabell@marchofdimes.com

Coming Soon…Festival of Trees in Salisbury, MD!

Join us for a holiday tradition on the Eastern Shore. Festival of Trees will be downtown, Salisbury, at the City Center. There is something for everyone, and this is an event you won’t want to miss. Listed below is our schedule of events.

General Admission

Sunday, November 20- 12-6pm

Monday, November 21- 10am-7pm

Tuesday, November 22-10am-7pm

Wednesday, November 23-10am-7pm

November 24 & 25-Closed for Thanksgiving

Saturday, November 26- 10am-7pm*

Sunday, November 27- 12-6pm

Monday, November 28- 10am-7pm

Tuesday, November 29-10am-7pm

Wednesday, November 30-10am-7pm

Thursday, December 10am-2pm

Adults $5/Children $3

Event Highlights

*Children’s Holiday Party

Saturday, November 26^th-10am-1pm

A holiday party for children featuring a visit from Santa, several make it & take it crafts, holiday hair and nails for the lil’ divas, cupcake decorating, face painting, Lego league demo & MORE!

$5 per person

YOUR KEY TO FABULOUS...

Ladies Night Out...at the Festival of Trees

Thursday, December 1, 2011-5:30-8:30pm
A fabulous fun-filled night devoted to pampering, holiday ideas & shopping...
Fashion Show, Key Raffle, Cupcake Challenge, Food,
Live & Silent Auctions, Prizes, Music, Shopping & More!
$25 in advance/$35 at the door

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