Honolulu, Hawaii - Dr. Scott Berns, Vice President of Chapter Program for the March of Dimes, was featured as the keynote speaker for the March of Dimes Hawaii Chapter First Annual Prematurity Summit held at the Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children on the evening of February 24, 2004.   Dr. Berns outlined the background for and goals of the March of Dimes' National Prematurity Awareness Campaign.  Lieutenant Governor James Aiona thanked the March of Dimes for calling attention to this issue and encouraged participants to continue efforts to address the problem.  Other speakers included Cheryl Prince, State MCH Epidemiologist, who discussed the situation locally; Dr. Kenneth Ward, UH JABSOM, who discussed research findings related to preterm birth; Dr. Michael Rethman, local resident and President, American Academy of Periodontology, who discussed the links between gum disease and preterm birth; and Drs. Greigh Hirata and Sherry Loo, KMCWC physicians, who discussed the situation from the perspective of a clinician.

After listening to the "experts," the problems associated with preterm birth were truly driven home by parents Yavette and Glenn Charles.  Illustrating their presentation with slides of daughter Madison at birth and during several advances and setbacks over the past four years, they described the ordeal they faced when Madison was born months too early at Kapi‘olani Medical Center in February 2000.   After watching Madison bounce around the stage as her parents talked, one came to realize how truly remarkable it was she survived her birth - and the enormous amount of research that still needs to be undertaken to ensure other families need not face the same challenges as the Charles family continues to face. 

The session was offered to neighbor island participants as well as the US-related Pacific islands jurisdictions through teleconference linkages courtesy of Hawaii Pacific Health, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation and UH STAN Bridge networks.   At least 90 people attended in person and feedback from teleconferencing sites as remote as Guam indicated the transmission was flawless and the effort to transmit the program to these areas was greatly appreciated.

Event Co-chairs and Chapter Board members Laura Bonilla and Dave Heywood are to be congratulated for an excellent educational session.  Many thanks also to our co-sponsors, Hawaii Pacific Health, Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - Hawaii Section, for their assistance and financial support.