March for Babies

I received an email yesterday from our local March for Babies chapter for our Stroller Strides leaders to lead a family warm-up before the walk! I was so excited and honored that they asked us to do this! We did the walk last year with a small Stroller Strides team as we were still pretty new here. Our small team raised $650 for March for Babies that will be used for research to study and prevent premature births.

While I am all for any charity that helps children, this one is especially close to my heart as one of my three was a preemie. My son Joshua was a little over three pounds at birth and while he was small, he was one of the biggest ones in the NICU. We brought him home just two weeks later and as I was elated to have him home, my heart broke for the many that were to stay for much much longer.

Last year's walk was immensely eye opening at how many lives are affected by premature birth. We saw thousands of NICU graduates proudly riding in their wagons and strollers and we saw thousands that were a memory pictured on t-shirts and posters. I made it through last year's walk without breaking down (and believe me I wanted to), but I wasn't in my car for more than a few seconds before I could no longer hold back the tears. I was so grateful that we had a healthy preemie, small but strong and I was so heartbroken for the families who could not say the same.

This year we will be walking again and I am looking forward to our bigger team and an even more successful fundraising campaign!

I know that money is tight these days but every donation helps, even if it is as low as $5. Please donate if you can to well needed research by clicking on the March for Babies widget in the sidebar.

If you would like more information about March for Babies or would like to sign up for your local walk, go to marchforbabies.org.

Thank you all for your support.

-Valerie

Joshua 11-28-04

Joshua 4 years old