Crisis of Premature Birth Continues As Rates Hit Historic High
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., APRIL 27, 2006 The nation's oldest and best-loved annual walking event the March of Dimes WalkAmerica will take place this coming weekend (April 29 and 30), raising funds to help stem the growing crisis of premature birth in the United States.
The $106 million that the March of Dimes plans to raise with this event will support research and other programs to save babies from serious health problems, including premature birth, the leading killer of newborns. Prematurity has increased by more than 30 percent since 1981, and now affects more than 500,000 babies each year.
The top 10 U.S. cities conducting WalkAmerica this weekend will be:
• New York, NY Sunday, April 30, beginning at Lincoln Center at 9:00 a.m.
• Los Angeles, CA Saturday, April 29 at Griffith Park at 8:00 a.m.
• Chicago, IL Sunday, April 30 at Grant Park, Lakefront at 9:00 a.m.
• Philadelphia, PA Sunday, April 30 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 9:00 a.m.
• San Francisco, CA Saturday, April 29 at The Airfield at Crissy Field at 9:00 a.m.
• Houston, TX Sun., April 30 at University of Houston's Robertson Stadium at 9:00 a.m.
• Cleveland, OH Sunday, April 30 at Quicken Loans Arena at 9:00 a.m.
• Minneapolis, MN Sunday, April 30 at Parade Stadium at 11:00 a.m.
• St. Louis, MO Saturday, April 29 at The Muny-St. Louis Forest Park at 10:00 a.m.
WalkAmerica has raised more than $1.6 billion for the health of America's babies since it began in 1970. These funds have allowed the March of Dimes to support lifesaving medical breakthroughs such as:
• Initiation of special intensive care nurseries in hospitals to care for sick newborns.
• Research on surfactant therapy, which helps babies born with underdeveloped lungs to breathe.
• Folic acid education campaigns to help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects.
• Community grants to help more women get access to prenatal care.
Approximately 20,000 teams will participate in WalkAmerica nationwide, drawn from corporations, unions, schools, clubs, Family Teams, and other organizations. WalkAmerica takes place in nearly 1,100 communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Register for WalkAmerica by visiting walkamerica.org or by calling 1-800-525-WALK.
Celebrities volunteering for the March of Dimes include Tom Bergeron, co-anchor of ABC's Dancing With the Stars; Kelly Clarkson, 2006 Grammy Award winner; Thalia, Latin pop star; and Nancy O'Dell, co-anchor of the syndicated Access Hollywood.
March of Dimes WalkAmerica 2006 national sponsors leading the way to healthier babies are Kmart, CIGNA, FedEx Corporation, Famous Footwear, Farmers Insurance Group, First Response, Grain Foods Foundation, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, BabyFit.com, Outdoor Services, Continental Airlines and Discovery Health Channel.
