The Katherine Esterly Health Care and The Jane Maroney Advocacy Awards recognize individuals in our community who mirror the extraordinary commitment of Dr. Katherine Esterly and The Honorable Jane Maroney for improving the health of moms and babies. The Dr. Katherine Esterly Award was presented to Carl Kanefsky. Barbara Brown, Director of Constituent Relations, accepted The Honorable Jane Maroney Award on behalf of Governor Ruth Ann Minner.

Carl Kanefsky spent the last six years as the Director of Governmental Affairs and Communication for the Medical Society of Delaware. He kept up-to-date on health care legislation in Dover and Washington. He advocated on behalf of physicians with members of the General Assembly, reviewing and drafting legislation, and testifying in Legislative Hall. He oversaw several of the Medical Society's committees, including the Maternal and Child Care Committee.

As a parent of twins born 4 months early, Carl is passionately involved as a volunteer for the March of Dimes. During the past 13 years, he has served on multiple committees and chaired the New Castle County WalkAmerica event. He rarely misses an event for the March of Dimes and was one of the chapter's "top walkers" this year, raising over $1,000 for WalkAmerica. Recently Carl was a panelist speaker at the March of Dimes Prematurity Summit, helping raise awareness of the problems associated with prematurity. In 1995, former Governor Carper appointed Carl to the Delaware Perinatal Board on which he continues to serve.

Governor Ruth Ann Minner’s establishment of a statewide smoking ban in all indoor public places and support of programs producing significant decreases in cigarette smoking has been visionary. It has impacted the health of mothers and children throughout Delaware. Women who smoke during pregancy are twice as likely as non-smokers to give birth to a low-birthweight baby—which along with prematurity is the most common cause of infant death in the first month of life. The March of Dimes supports the new Task Force on Infant Mortality established by Governor Minner which will report recommendations on how the State can work to reduce its high infant mortality rates. Governor Minner has demonstrated her commitment to Delaware’s children through improvements to foster care and child safety and her long-standing support of quality early childhood programs and public education.

Jeff Leggett of Newark, began volunteering 10 years ago for the March of Dimes special event planning committee and has since served the organization in a multitude of different ways. At Citibank, he successfully recruited dozens of volunteers, spearheaded a strong walk team, and secured sponsorships for four March of Dimes events this year.

Jeff chaired our New Castle County WalkAmerica Committee and serves on the Executive Committee of our Board. He has previously served as Treasurer. He has also chaired the Communications Committee and the Revenue Committee. He chaired the Best of Delaware Committee and worked on our Gourmet Gala Committee, participating as a vignette designer for the past five years. His passion for the March of Dimes is inspirational.

Wendy Callaway of Harrington has demonstrated her leadership as the WalkAmerica chairperson in Kent County. Her volunteer efforts for the March of Dimes Rubber Duck Regatta, Block Party and Blue Jeans for Babies effort with Chesapeake Utilities, where she works, are a few of the ways she supports the March of Dimes.

Karen Smith of North Wilmington, Director of Community Relations for Happy Harry's, has demonstrated long-time commitment to the March of Dimes. She is always ready to lend a handthrough volunteering and supporting the March of Dimes with donations to the Stork’s Nest—part of a prenatal care incentive program for pregnant women. Serving on the Communications, Fundraising and Prematurity Campaign committees, she is a strong advocate for the March of Dimes.

Beth Sellers of Delaware demonstrated her enthusiasm for the mission of the March of Dimes by jumping into volunteering. Within two years, she went from a WalkAmerica team captain to serving on the WalkAmerica Committee and RIDE Committee (Bikers for Babies) and leading the Joe Corbi Pizza fundraiser. She has helped tremendously in the March of Dimes efforts.

The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects 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 five-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at http://www.marchofdimes.com/or its Spanish Web site at http://www.nacersano.org/.