| MARCH OF DIMES GEORGIA SOCIETY INAUGURAL DINNER WELCOMES ANNA ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
WHAT: Georgia Society Inaugural Dinner
DATE: Thursday, November 18, 2004
TIME: 6:30pm
WHO: Special Guest Anna Eleanor Roosevelt will speak to important March of Dimes supporters. This event is closed to the general public.
ATLANTA, GA—November 9, 2004—The March of Dimes Georgia Chapter will welcome National Trustee Anna Eleanor Roosevelt to Atlanta during Prematurity Awareness Month to speak at the Inaugural Dinner of the Georgia Society on Thursday, November 18, 2004.
Roosevelt, granddaughter of March of Dimes Founder President Franklin D. Roosevelt, will speak to the Georgia Society on the March of Dimes’ lifesaving work in the field of Prematurity for the next decade.
Established in 2004 by the Georgia Chapter of the March of Dimes, The Georgia Society is a group of committed individuals specifically dedicated to addressing the issue of premature birth. All members make a significant minimum commitment of $10,000. One hundred percent of funds invested supports local and national March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness programs, which include medical research, community service, education and advocacy.
Prematurity in Georgia is a serious health issue, with 323 preterm and 53 very preterm babies born each week. Georgia has one of the highest premature birth rates in the country with 12.6% (one out of every eight) of all births being preterm in 2002.
In 2003, the March of Dimes launched a $75 million Prematurity Awareness Campaign to reduce the incidence of premature birth and educate the public on the issue. Prematurity is a silent crisis in America, with the rate of premature births rising by over 29% since 1981. In nearly half of the over 470,000 US cases each year, the cause of preterm birth is undetermined. Premature birth is the leading cause of death within the first month of life, and the second leading cause of death within the first year.
Roosevelt’s visit falls two days after the March of Dimes Prematurity Summit on Prematurity Awareness Day, November 16th. The Summit is designed to inform decision-makers throughout the state on the seriousness of Prematurity in Georgia and the role of the March of Dimes in addressing the issue.
Media interview requests for Anna Roosevelt must be submitted by Wednesday, November 17, 2004. ABOUT THE MARCH OF DIMES
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.
Media Contact: Brittney Gray, Director of Communications, March of Dimes Georgia Chapter
404-350-9800 x. 224 or bgray@marchofdimes.com
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