Premature birth is the number one killer of newborns. Babies who survive may be disabled for life. In the U. S. half a million babies are born prematurely every year, including more than 9,600 in Alabama. 

“That is why the March of Dimes made November Prematurity Awareness Month,” said Patrick Ramsey, M.D., Chair of the March of Dimes Alabama Chapter Prematurity Campaign. “And why we’re asking people to join us to help stop premature birth.”·        

• Keep an eye on the downtown Birmingham skyline for the UAB Hospital beacon. During the month of November, the beacon will be lit in pink and blue in recognition of Prematurity Awareness Day. 
•  On Prematurity Awareness Day®, November 14th, the March of Dimes Mountain Lakes Division, with the support of West Limestone High School FBLA members, will light the Limestone County Courthouse on the square in Athens.  As part of the building lighting service, FBLA District I vice president Lerrin Sutton and Kari Forsyth and daughter Chesney, will be speaking. Chesney is the local March of Dimes ambassador. Also on Prematurity Awareness Day®, Wiregrass Division will be lighting Wachovia bank in pink and blue and will beam a March of Dimes logo on both the bank and the Civic Center. That evening the division holds its Taste of Dothan event.
• Coinstar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR), the worldwide leader in self-service coin-counting, now accepts donations on behalf of the March of Dimes through a feature available on most of its national network of machines at participating supermarkets in Alabama. After designating the March of Dimes as their beneficiary, individuals can simply pour their loose change into the machine, which automatically counts the coins and prints a tax-deductible receipt for the amount of the donation.

 “We’re out to repeat history,” Dr. Ramsey said. “Decades ago millions of dimes from concerned Americans helped us defeat polio. Today, we need all the change you can spare to fight an even bigger challenge—premature birth” he said. “So you can join the March of Dimes by donating your spare change to save babies! Information is on our Web site, marchofdimes.com.”

Also in November, Motherhood Maternity, a national Prematurity Campaign Sponsor, will offer pregnant women free information about how to have a healthy baby. All Motherhood Maternity shoppers are invited to support the Prematurity Campaign by making a donation and purchasing special charms in stores.  You can also stop by your local Famous Footwear store and make a donation through the company’s “Give Hope. Watch Miracles Happen.” Campaign November 5-18.

The March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign has been endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.  American Baby magazine and Working Mother Media are national media sponsors.  More than 40 professional and consumer organizations have become Campaign alliance members, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Hospital Association and the American Public Health Association.

Nationally, Prematurity Campaign sponsors include CIGNA, FedEx, Motherhood Maternity and the Johnson & Johnson Pediatric Institute; the national Prematurity Awareness Month supporter is First Response.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of 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 Web site at marchofdimes.com or its Spanish Web site at nacersano.org.

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