It's March for Babies time! (formerly called WalkAmerica)

As you all know, I am very involved with our local March of Dimes. Our NICU support group has gotten a grant to give resources to parents of children in the NICU, including support group information, helpful items like gift cards to the coffee shop, water bottles, information on RSV, keychains and photo/nicu baby books. This organization is close to my heart. I would like to ask you to think about donating to our March for Babies team this year.

To donate, please click this link to be taken to our team page.http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?w=71001048&u=grantsgang

As an added incentive, anyone who donates will have their name put into a drawing for a custom child (or adult) hat/mittens OR handmade socks of your choice. All you have to do is donate to Grant's Gang's fundraising effort!

Grant Spencer Smithson was born 9 weeks too early on September 12, 2004. He was 4lbs, 2oz. When Grant was 24 hours old, he was airlifted to the NICU in Iowa City. There he received blood transfusions, surfactant for his lungs, antibiotics and specialized care. Despite having received steriods in utero to strengthen his lungs, he suffered from RDS (respiratory distress syndrome). Grant (and mom and dad) rode the rollercoaster that is NICU for 42 days until he was able to come home.

Although he was behind in his milestones for the first two years, Grant is now a precocious preschooler who is caught up to his peers. He enjoys reading, playing with Lightning McQueen and riding his BMX bike.He is the joy of our lives. He amazes us everyday with something new.

We have come to know several other families of preemies. Until Grant was born, we never knew how common premature births were. We also didn't know how serious it can be. Not all families are as lucky as we are to have their precious children today.The March of Dimes has been a leader in research including research on the condition I had, Vasa Previa. This organization SAVES babies!

Today in the U.S., 1 in every 8 babies will be born prematurely. Some of them won't survive, and others will have health problems that could last a lifetime. The funds we raise in WalkAmerica support research that saves babies' lives.

The mission of March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.