March for Babies

You'll notice a new banner at the top of the blog, advertising for this year's March for Babies (formerly Walk America) to benefit the March of Dimes. For many years the MOD has been at the forefront of research and support for families touched by prematurity, birth defects and infant mortality. Given what our own family has been through this past year, I decided it was time I gave back to a cause that gave us so much. We never came in direct contact with any MOD representatives or benefits while Adele was in the hospital, and yet I know that indirectly their cause helped our situation in ways I'll never truly realize. Funds that were raised YEARS ago, by folks just like you and me, resulted in medical breakthroughs and technology that allowed our daughter to survive and thrive. Without financial support and fundraising efforts such as March for Babies, our story could have had a very different ending.

So with that, I am happy to announce that I will be accepting donations for the 2008 March for Babies that will take place April 26 in Lawrence. Any donation is welcome. I have created a team (The A-Team) so if anyone would like to join me in fundraising and walking, I would love to have company (Mom! Are you reading??). To join the team, go to the March for Babies website, https://www.marchforbabies.org/, and click on "Join a Team." Search for "The A-Team" on the next page and click on the team in Lawrence, Kansas. From there you can decide your personal goal, which is entirely up to you. I set the team goal as $250, which I thought was reachable even if it ends up just being me. ;)

I have a modest yet meaningful personal goal: $96. It represents $1 for each day Adele spent in the NICU. I hope to raise much more than that, but I figure it's a start and it's a number that will stay in my mind. And $250 for a team goal can also represent Adele's birthweight in some fashion, I suppose (2 pounds 5.0 ounces). And I'm thrilled that this year's walk is so close to Adele's birthday. What a way to celebrate the miracle of the first year of her life!

If you're interested in donating, please click the banner ad at the top of this page or email me or leave a comment below. I'm not one for high-pressure donation tactics so I probably won't contact anyone personally (no need to screen your calls!). But remember: It's for a good cause, it's for families like ours and children like Adele, it's to help babies who deserve a fighting chance and the best medicine and technology we can give them. As someone once told me, these babies didn't ask to be born this early. The least we can do is give them a chance.

Love and thanks!